Things to do at Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

Choose your nature-loving friend in the Forest Retreat, give them a name and bring them to life before starting your next adventure. Perfect for rainy days and DIY cabin activities.

Build a Forest Friend

Spend some time with our resident Forest Ranger and learn the secrets of Forest of Dean.

Forest Survival
Mini Forest Rangers
Little Wild Ones
Guided Woodland Walk
Nature by night | Sept - March
Archery

Pre-book Forest Ranger activities

Calling mini explorers! Get hands-on in the forest with our new Elvis Owl Nature Trail, designed with our friends, Wrendale Designs. Join Elvis Owl to explore the incredible wildlife around you, get stuck into activities and learn amazing things about nature.

Pre-book self-led trail

Join us every Wednesday from 5pm & Sunday from 5.30pm in the Forest Retreat. Get the brains in gear with our Forest Quiz Night sharer in the Forest Retreat. Tuck into five mouthwatering small plates for £19 – just right for two.

Pre-book quiz sharer

Head to the Forest Retreat and discover your creative side. Choose from a selection of woodland animals and experiment with spongy foam clay or a ceramic pottery item and paint a masterpiece to take away that same day.

Small item | £7.95
Medium item | £12.95
Large item | £15.95

Pre-book now

Hire one of our bikes from us and there’ll be a helmet and bike lock for you too.

Adult bike full break hire 
Children's bike full break hire
Family bike accessories

Time together to just...be

• Relax & unwind treatments (1-5 hours)
• Time for two treatments (1-2 hours)
• Mummy to be spa treatments (2 hours)
• Pamper day (min 5 guests & 45 minutes)
• Premium spa (1.5-4.5 hours)

Explore the great outdoors

• Canoe hire - full day
• Canoe hire - 1/2 day hire
• Canoe hire - 3/4 day hire
• Beginners canoeing
• Kayaking experience
• Stand up paddle boarding

Go out and about in the local area

• Photography lesson
• Make your own Gin experience
• Outdoor Escape Game
• Night sky photography lesson

Celebrate in style and enjoy an incredible night in with your own personal chef experience, brought to you by Yhangry. Get an exclusive £100* off at check-out. Just use code: FOREST100

Book your chef*

All you need to ease into holiday mode

• Takeaway Chicken Combo from £50
• Takeaway Burgers from £32
• Takeaway Curry from £32
• Takeaway Pizza from £40

The ultimate holiday treat

• Edmunds cocktails (6 bottles, shaker & ice) from £43
• Local Gin selection from £46
• Case of wine (6 bottles) from £63
• Local Beer selection from £21.50
• Wine Selection (1 bottle) from £15

Our most popular hampers

• The Food and Drink selection
• The Breakfast hamper
• The Essentials hamper
• Just for two selection
• The Premium Selection

From the simple things that make life easier such as hiring cycles and baby items rather than loading them up in the car, to the special touches such as Fizz and Chocolates in your cabin, put together your own break with our extras and activities such as canoeing and kayaking.

Whether it’s a family adventure through the forest, with a picnic ready to unpack at a beauty spot, or a hair-raising cycling holiday and mountain bike experience, up and down single-track trails and round hairpin bends, the Forest of Dean has it covered.

A walking holiday in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley is a rewarding experience. With deep river gorges, ancient woodlands and atmospheric ruins to explore, it opens up a timeless landscape of natural beauty.