Forest of Dean - Places to go ?

[Jelster]

Me & the Mrs have decided to take a couple of short breaks this year instead of a 2 week annual holiday, so as it's her Birthday at the end of the month I've booked us into a nice place in the Forest of Dean.

So, can anyone advise me of a few places to go around the area, particularly of interest for photography. Wildlife or landscape orientated would be good as we enjoy both.

Thanks,
Steve

[tigerimages]

You've got the Heritage Centre, the Steam railway at Parkend (to Lydney), Speech House is the heart of the forest for walking trails.

Tintern Abbey on the Wye, Goodrich Castle and Symonds Yat (Maze!) are just over the other side. There is the Shambles museum in Newent too.

All sorts of info here - http://www.visitforestofdean.co.uk/

But if you want some real action then you MUST go into Ruardean and ask a local "Who killed the bear?"

[thepharcyde]

Symonds Yat is not too far :)

http://www.wyenot.com/yatrock.htm

[Verb]

There's always the sculpture trail..

http://www.forestofdean-sculpture.org.uk/

[Kdot]

If you're a birdy type, they have peregrine's nesting at Symonds Yat (http://www.rspb.org.uk/brilliant/sites/symondsyat/index.asp) and the National Bird of Prey Centre at Newent (http://www.nbpc.co.uk/).

:thumbs:

[Jelster]

You've got the Heritage Centre, the Steam railway at Parkend (to Lydney), Speech House is the heart of the forest for walking trails.

Tintern Abbey on the Wye, Goodrich Castle and Symonds Yat (Maze!) are just over the other side. There is the Shambles museum in Newent too.

All sorts of info here - http://www.visitforestofdean.co.uk/

But if you want some real action then you MUST go into Ruardean and ask a local "Who killed the bear?"


We're actually staying at Speech House.....

[tigerimages]

Well if you have the car you're spoiled for choice.

When we used to go on school trips we used to get the coach to the Beechenhurst (?) car park which is just down the hill from Speech House (towards Coleford) and that was where all the trails began.

I should go again and it's only 20mins drive.

Like I said, don't forget to go to Ruardean and ask them who killed the bear!

[Verb]

Almost forgot about Nagshead RSPB reserve.

Plenty of hides to watch birds/wildlife.

Great place for Woodpeckers, all 3 British types are there all year round and you might be lucky and spot the odd adder as well, there used to be a hut that was manned during the summer months, so they'll be able to tell you the best places to go.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/n/nagshead/

[Ben Hur]

Make sure you're back out by dusk :runaway:

[King of Groove]

Here's the link to the steam railway Tigerimages mentioned!

http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/

[tigerimages]

Make sure you're back out by dusk :runaway:Seconded :p

[woadrage]

No-one has yet mentioned Lydney Park Gardens and the Romano-British Temple of Nodens on the bluff overlooking the gardens. This is a private estate and the grounds are only open to the public for a few weeks each year when the rhododendrons are in bloom, ie around now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nodens

The temple complex is quite extensive and includes lodgings for pilgrims and the place where a devotee would go to sleep in order to have dream visions of the god Nodens. The site was excavated by Sir Mortimer Wheeler and one of the diggers involved was a certain J R R Tolkien. Finds include a good Romano-British lead curse scroll and this very famous hound sculpture:

http://curses.csad.ox.ac.uk/sites/lydney-deity.shtml

The museum, which houses the finds from the site and is attached to the house, is also worth a good look.

[Verb]

So...plenty of things to do in the forest...are you sure you don't want to spend a month?

[ivortripod]

Wild Boar roam the F.O.D.:gag:
If you take a dog make sure it stays on a short lead :bang:

[Verb]

Wild Boar roam the F.O.D.:gag:
If you take a dog make sure it stays on a short lead :bang:

Or take a BBQ and cook some cheap bacon ;)

[Byker28i]

Don't forget the castle at chepstow isn't far away, Clearwell caves http://www.clearwellcaves.com/, lydney harbour and the river severn. There's a ruined abbey along there as well (can't remember the name)

[tigerimages]

Tintern?

[Byker28i]

Oh and don't forget puzzle wood

[Byker28i]

Tintern?

That's the one - http://www.castlewales.com/tintern.html

[birdy961]

Tintern Abbey




Tis:thumbs:

[Byker28i]

LOL - couldn't find it on the map - I was looking on the river severn - it's ont he river wye :cuckoo:

[tigerimages]

If you can get near to it then I suggest taking a look at the course of the old Severn railway bridge between Lydney and Sharpness, I think you can still see the supports. They knocked it down after a barge ran into it in the 1960's, which was a shame.

[Kdot]

Just don't watch Deliverance before you go...:geek: <plays air banjo>

[tigerimages]

The Forest has produced some excellent photographers mind. That extra thumb doesn't half come in handy.

[Verb]

The Forest has produced some excellent photographers mind. That extra thumb doesn't half come in handy.

I lived in the Forest for 18 months, I always wondered why people were looking in 2 different directions at the same time..

Mind you, you support Gloucester AFC, at least the forresters aren't that bad ;)

[tigerimages]

No they aren't. The FOD has produced some excellent goalkeepers.

[ivortripod]

The Forest has produced some excellent photographers mind. That extra thumb doesn't half come in handy.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:: lol:

[Slipper-one]

If your still in the area on the 29th, there's 'Trotting' races being held just off the A465 opposite the junction with the B4349, maybe someone from the area can furnish more details?

[Janice]

Offa's Dyke Path?

[Steffyboy]

Also a place to go is Monmouth town theres a old toll bridge at the entrance also plenty of shops for the missis to drag you round lol