Top 25 things to do and attractions in Coleford

This is a must visit in the UK. So peaceful and calm. There is ample space to park your car. You will have to have a look at the photos for you to get a glimpse of what you will experience, if you happen to plan a trip. A small play area designed for toddlers and also a range of farm animals, your toddler will be excited to see these. Some outdoor play facilities have been arranged as well.

Dropping a star because the booking info wasn't clear.. Given two booking times, 10am and 2pm.. it's not explained until after you've booked that it's "any time from 10am..." Plus.. it is a little pricey when you can access other parts of the forest for free.. BUT... It is like stepping into another world. The forest is magical. Even with other people there, it was quiet and beautiful. Lots of places to sit and enjoy nature. Steps are a little slippery so wear good shoes. There's also some farm animals to look at and an indoor and outdoor play area. Gift shop shuts at 5pm though the actual place shuts at 6pm.. something to keep in mind if you're saving your gift purchases until the end.

We spent a wonderful morning in this enchanting, magical forest. We wandered through there for about 3 hours, trying to make sure we didn't miss any of it, and back tracking to see views from different directions. We were lucky to go on a day with some sunshine, the sun light light hitting the mossy trees and lighting them up was just beautiful. Good facilities too, and friendly staff.

Please be aware , wear proper shoes, non slip and waterproof. A lot of mud, slippery, very slippery, and around 300+ stairs up and down, made out of wood and solid rocks. Beautiful views and there is a picnic area as well, enough for 100+people You can buy tickets on the spot. Just £9.90 The walk, depending of how you're moving around, it's about 2 hours, so you can enjoy the views. You can stay as long as you want, there are benches all over the place, made it off wood of course. Enjoy😊

The most stunning place. Very picturesque everywhere you look. But very slippery when it's raining. Make sure of good footwear.

The nature walk was fantastic. Feels like you're in the Ewok village. Be prepared for some mud. I would definitely visit again if I was in the area.

Gorgeous forest! I did feel let down that you have to pay to enter such a beautiful natural spot and of course I would have loved it to be bigger and to have gotten lost for considerably longer than we did. But even at the smaller scale that it is it really is quite stunning.

Nice caves but not much geological structures to see. The main attraction of the cave was actually the art trail inside it with a few sculptures to be found and learn more about them. Free parking available on site. Facilities were ok with a cafe and toilets available.

Interesting experience and nice to do on a hot day as the caves are 10c. The sculptures are pleasant but I found the mines and history more engaging. The cafe is nice and had a good selection of drinks and cakes including a few Gluten free cakes.

Brilliant caves and even more special with the sculpture exhibition that’s on this summer. Visited in summer holidays on a wet morning, with two children (ages 8 and 9). We all enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend! It was quite busy, but we hadn’t booked in advance and were allowed in straight away. Free parking, there’s also a cafe on site but we didn’t visit it ourselves.

Always visit the caves whenever we are in the area. Enjoyed the sculpture exhibition - a unique art gallery underground! However, I do feel that this took a lot away from the actual caves/mines and there seemed to be less info about them than I remember previously so I wonder if plaques had been removed or hidden for the exhibition. Still an enjoyable visit.

We enjoy a decent visit to some caves and Clearwell Caves was no exception. The caves themselves are brilliant. A good bit of history to check out at the start of the tour. They also have some exhibitions in the caves which were really good. This was better than I expected

This was the most unique art gallery I have ever been in. I would say it’s a must see, even children 5 and up on my opinion would enjoy it. Most of my explorations were done on my own with no other visitors. It is a little dark with the exhibitions spot lit. If you are claustrophobic you might have a hard time. It took me about 2 hours to explore, you should also wear good shoes here. I enjoyed the museum that talked about ochre and ore mining, and likes that many of the sculptures were metal. I really enjoyed the exhibition and would definitely go again. There is a cafe, and games as well as toilets. There is an outside sitting area with a semi adventure playground. I loved it, but I also loved that here the staff say #sconeAsingone. Nice to meet you Jonathan and Sue!

My third visit here with my family and we were fortunate to be there for the very last day of the modern art exhibition. Such a fascinating place with lots of historical stories and accounts from people who worked these mines. A must visit if you're in this area !

Great little shop. We were staying near the area for a few days and had been given some very nice shortbread so decided to find the Forest Deli to buy more, along with a few delicious items. Lovely customer service. Definitely pop in if in Coleford.

We recently attended a wine and cheese evening with the Forest Deli. It was well organised evening with great cheese and wine combinations, some that I would have definitely not gave matched together previously....but they have completely changed my mind. I also love the shop and the local products, the staff are always very friendly and helpful and have never been disappointed with anything that I have purchased here. I would highly recommend:)

What an utter gem of a place! We went here for the Saturday afternoon Cheese and Beer experience and it was incredible. Great food, great service, great setting and above all great value. The owners were very welcoming and friendly, and couldn't do enough to make sure we enjoyed our time there. We'll definitely be returning when we're next in the area. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Love a scotch egg, and boy they got em. I have a Polish friend who too loves eggs. Coffee was decent.

Brilliant choices to be had. Especially cheeses both local and national and many other local products.

We went for a lovely cheese tasting and it was amazing! Excellent quality, fabulous service, and incredible value. Highly recommend popping in to try a tasty trio of cheese accompanied by local beer flight or other beverage of your choice.

Great selection of delicious localities. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They put together a hamper based on our budget, which was presented very nicely. Definitely recommend the boar salami and their homemade pate. Made for a great stop on our holiday.

The Perrygrove railway adventure was such a cute addition to my daughter's second birthday trip. We hopped onto a vintage steam train that took us to a play area. The play area was a hit with our toddler. She enjoyed it thoroughly and the miniature forest walks were worth it.

Perrygrove Railway Adventure is a nice place for a children and family day out. Here you'll find a nice cafe with a picnic area. There is also a children's play village next to the cafe. There are constant train rides you can pay for, it's around 20 minutes in total. Young children will definitely enjoy it. We came on a nice Summer's day which made it all the better.

Perrygrove Railway Adventure is such a lovely day out and has a really charming concept. The main highlight is the steam train that takes you around the park with several fun stops along the way. You can hop on and off as much as you like since unlimited train rides are included. Trains run every 30 minutes so you are never waiting long and each stop has something different to enjoy. The stations include Perrygrove, Oakiron, Rookwood and Foxy Hollow. Each one has its own attractions like picnic areas, playgrounds and walking trails. There are plenty of picnic tables at every stop so it is easy to bring your own food and make a day of it. The playgrounds are brilliant and well kept, and the jungle tree house is a real hit with the kids. The walking trails are great for stretching your legs and taking in the peaceful countryside. You can mix train rides with walks so the day never feels rushed. The staff are friendly and welcoming which adds to the warm atmosphere. It feels like a proper family run business where they care about visitors having a good time. Free parking is available which is always a bonus. Overall Perrygrove Railway Adventure is a great place for families. Whether you want to relax and ride the trains or explore the trails and playgrounds there is something for everyone.

Our first visit in about 6 years now. In that time they have added a new tube maze which my kids enjoyed. There was also a new tractor ride area, but it was disappointing this wasn't working in the summer holidays. Reading other people's reviews on this place is assuming. People are under the odd assumption that it's a train for transport around the forest of dean. It is definitely not! 😂 It's a good place for young kids who like trains and want to experience short, novelty rides on them. The park areas are unique and could keep younger kid's entertained for hours. It's a nice half a day out, and can be paired with puzzlewood over the road if you're looking for a full family day out.

We was with 7y old daughter and was very happy. We was on weekend and must wait 1 hour for available tickets. But area was lovely, staff very friendly. Train fantastic. Clean toilet. Nice cafe.

Brilliant place, lots todo there my 2 year old loved it lots of goes on the train and different areas to play in the kids village thing was brilliant when it rained, would go again

Well at 41 and 37 years old we had a lovely hour or so here sitting on the train and spotting the signs as part of the autumn competition (which I was allowed to take part in AND won a chocolate coin... buzzing...!!) It was priced fairly with lovely coffee and staff. I read all the 'not so good' reviews for my own amusement and can only marvel at the sheer entitlement of people. Sometimes, people, you must improve your mindset to ensure you enjoy things...✨️

A fantastic day out for the dogs/kids🐾 I paid £6.50 for 4 hours of parking on-site (plenty available). Access to the sculpture trail is free. I walked at a leisurely pace, stopping to admire some of the sculptures with a dog that loves to sniff and we completed it in about 2h15m so can be done quicker if necessary. Some of the sculptures require you to double back on yourself to complete the trail but it is faily easy to follow the arrows (see pictured or on map). Be sure to keep your head up & eyes peeled otherwise you may miss some! Hilly terrain, walking shoes recommended. The cafe at the start/end of the trail has toilets, drinking water and a place to stop for a drink afterwards. The only negative: the are no waste bins along the trail so be sure to have the means to carry your rubbish/dog waste with you until the end.

Stunning views amazing cafe service was excellent. Best cappachino ever actually froth inside the ☕ cup. Lovely customer service.. The park is stunning, beautiful playground area for smaller children. Smaller walks, moderate walks, bigger walks.. Seen few squirrels, plus beautiful birds, singing, it's well signed for no bikes down certain routes. I'm straight in my reviews there followed.. Let me tell you one of the most beautiful places to vist bring children a absolute must. It's outstanding.

If you’re looking for a place where your kids can run wild without breaking your furniture, the Forest of Dean is perfect. The trails are awesome, long enough to tire them out, but friendly enough that even little legs can conquer them. Picnic spots are scattered about, so you can unleash your snacks like a woodland feast, and yes, there’s actually good parking (a mythical British rarity). It’s beautiful, peaceful, and kid-friendly, which means adults can actually enjoy themselves too instead of just surviving the outing. Think of it as nature’s playground with just enough civilization to keep the parents sane. Highly recommend, you’ll leave with muddy shoes, tired children, and a weird urge to become a tree hugger.

Great day out for couples,family and dogs. Parking is £5.50 for 3hours or can pay less or more, plenty of spaces. Cafe on site and clean toilets. There is no bins on site, only 2 dog bins at the start, there was a small amount of litter on the trail but overall unspoilt. The path is very well trodden and well kept but very slightly muddy and slippery at some points. Highly recommend going on a sunny autumn walk.

A really great way to explore the forest and spend time with family. Sculptures are varied and interesting providing talking points. Forest was gorgeous in autumn. We ended up exiting at short cut B on the trail as we needed the loo! Coffee shop was ok. Coffee not the best but looked like lots of good food options. Toilet facilities were good. Car park was a great price for a free activity.

A nice easy walking route throughout the forest following the purple Sculpture trail arrors. The stained glass window at the end was beautiful. Paths are lovely and wide and well maintained. Might be difficult with a pushchair as it does slope here and there but an easy walking route without. Also offers a child friendly Stick Man route to follow if walking with young ones.

Quite a long walk, precisely 9km 😳. Took 2 hours for the whole trail, quite long for just a walk. Not very many sculptures but the stained glass one was the best!!! Quite disappointing for a 2 hour walk because not many sculptures. Would except more to be added over the next couple of years. I would recommend if you would want to waste 2 hours of your life for barely any sculptures. Quite a relief when we saw the car! Overall, do the walk if you don’t care if you die of not hydrating yourself.

A great place to relax and to walk, we been to the sculpture park, did the round walk and it was quite good. Very relaxing, if you do not see anyone, quiet, lots of birdsong. Some path a wee bit muddy, mostly gravelpath. Some sculptures were really good, some not, but that's my view. One in particular, the cathedral glass window is amazing!!! There is plenty to do for kids at beechenhurst, coffee place was well stocked with food and staff friendly.Plsnty of parking spaces. We did had a grand day out....

£9 car park full day.All trail free.blue trails fantastic for all.

Fantastic forest, well cared for, with lots to do.

Beautiful area with lovely walks sadly didn’t see the boar today but saw where they had been Shame about the towns and buildings in the area they are all so ugly and look dirty

Great place for a day out in the forest some lovely pubs and lates around

We did the sculpture walk and it was wonderful. The birds and trees were wonderful hosts. Definitely will go again. Cafe has everything you need post or pre walk. The kids playground is enormous and my kids did not want to leave.

Wonderful experience great location like to go again summer holiday ….

We arrived just as a storm had broken, the smells and sounds were incredible, barely anyone around until later on in the walk, signposted well so you can easily make your way around - we did the sculpture trail, didn’t have a map for it but that kind of make it exciting when we saw something we weren’t expecting to see.

A definite must if you’re in the area! There’s a few different trails around here but I did the sculpture trail which I would highly recommend. Took me about 2 1/2 hours and it’s really interesting to see all of the art work, whilst combining it with a fab ‘forest bathing’ walk. Plenty of parking (can pay by cash or ringo app), toilets, water fountain, picnic tables, and a cafe (unfortunately this was closed when I visited!)

It's a BRILLIANT place for everyone of any age and abilities. There is a great café that serves food and snacks, coffees and a good range of tea, soft drinks etc. Staff are lovely and very helpful. Good loos and usually very clean. The trails, tracks are extensive and are accessible to very nearly everyone. It has a sculpture trail, which is updated regularly and has GO APE, for those with a head for heights. Plenty of parking and is a pay and display, machines are situated in a few key points. Do go and enjoy our forest, I'm sure you will love it! Sorry, nearly forgot. It's very dog friendly too!

Great place to pop in with family, plenty of room to set picnic, good and clean facilities.

Massive forest! With many walks to do! He also had a goape! For all ages from 4 years - it has a gruffalo trail and a sculpture trail. Has a visitor centre with food and drinks and clean toliets, then a park and loads of picnic benches! The is plenty of spaces fo park your car!

Love this place. Good for the kids, the dogs…can’t go wrong. Food prices are…well…high. Icecreams, sandwiches, cake&biscuits, crisps, hot drinks, soft drinks, and chips (or atleast they did). But bring a picnic and what could be better? Alternatively, during certain times they have various food venders selling pizzas, drinks… Drinking water station for dogs attached to the main building (roughly behind the toilet area by the archway). Parking is payable in the archway (bear that in mind when parking as you could be in for a walk before you even begin).

Lovely cafe, friendly helpful staff. Accessible trail very interesting and lovely changing places toilet.

Played as part of a club "awayday" in the middle of one of the heatwaves. Fairways were baked, fast & running. Greens were well watered but fast. Pretty much every fairway has slopes in it and, with the dry weather, l couldn't cope with them ! Good looking tee shots ended up running into trees, bunkers or hazards. A bit frustrating for me although others in our group recorded good stableford scores. Also, some of the directional signage from one green to the next tee (which was sometimes a good walk away) was poor. Did l enjoy it - not really. Would l go back - probably not.

Faultless! Great value for money, friendly helpful staff in the clubhouse and pro shop. Course in A1 condition. You won't be disappointed if you try it. Been 3 times already and booking to go again.

We stayed in a family room for one night. Getting to the room was a bit challenging as it was not signed well and we had to ask to find a staff member to show us. The room was very nice and the TV was great with lots of options. Some more information for the operation of the velux windows would be good as it had to figure out the different controls. Breakfast in the morning was okay but they took the breakfast order quite late so the food arrived late, and some larger bowls of fruit would be better as well. Overall pretty good stay

Quirky course relying on careful driver placement. Some holes would benefit from marker poles to indicate the driving line for visitors. The greens are very tricky, with most of them being crowded , meaning that there are few straight puts. The course is well-kept and worth a visit.

Great course in excellent condition. Superb greens and friendly staff. Look forward to playing there again.

Did a stay and play package here and would definitely recommend, it was great! The staff, food, rooms and course were all brilliant.

Played this course as one of our courses on a golf trip - And I must say what a great choice it was, the course itself was in very good condition considering the lack of rain and it had some great holes on it and the greens were very good, unusually it started with 7 Par 4s but as you got into it they were really good, to play with a buggy it was very reasonably priced and the very friendly pro shop and bar staff made us feel more than welcome - will definitely play again and recommend this place for a visit.

Much more than just a walk around the pond. Beautiful location with a nicely laid out, bike- free, walk around the ponds. But you can easily extend the short walk to incorporate much more of the wider forest and, because there are great bike paths nearby, you aren't bothered by cyclists at all:). We managed to walk for an hour on a circular route, completely avoiding the road or bike paths. It seems that you could continue this walk for many miles. Wonderful location.

I have been visiting here for well over 20 years now and yesterday we visited with our youngest two children. We spent 2 hours walking around both ponds with the children navigating through the woodland. We took plenty of seed so the children could feed the ducks and swans. It's cash only parking unless you are lucky enough to have phone signal but I personally wouldn't risk it. There are plenty of benches for picnics and a food truck selling icecream and such but we didn't have anything as we bought our own snacks and drinks for the children. A lovely afternoon ☺️

Love this place. Dog and child friendly. Usually a food van there and lots of parking. Can get busy on weekends and bank holidays ♥️

Great for families, picnic benches are available too. Car park is cash only though. Lovely stroll around the lake too especially in the autumn.

Lovely place to take a walk, very well maintained and a stunning lake to boot! Can easily see why people enjoy coming here.

A good place walking with children and dogs limited food facilities, but enough for most people.

Canop ponds in autumn is especially magical with stunning views and not to forget the Mandarin ducks

What an area of outstanding natural beauty, with beautiful landscapes, nice villages/towns and numerous attractions, its a great place for a holiday or mini break. the river wye cuts its way through some amazing scenery. it slso has alot of intresting history. really worth a visit.

Lovely views all around. I love me some good bridges so I tried to find a good viewpoint. I hope to go back again and get more photos. Went up hiking to get those viewss (At Coppett Hill). If you want to hike up Coppett Hill, I recommend you drive up to Highview and find a place to pull over and park. Its in the middle of nowhere so its pretty easy to find a place to just pull over and park because hey... its not illegal if theres no double yellows. The two bridges in these photos are Kerne Bridge (1st photo) and Huntsham Bridge (4th photo).

A beautiful area and landscape for hiking – there are picnic spots, seating areas, toilets, as well as coffee and food available for purchase.

It was an incredible ride to Tintern, we enjoyed each turning around the corner with it beauty and mountainous landscape reminds my home country. We will be hunting and discover more and more in upcoming days

Walk started at St Briavells Castle and looped across the surrounding area.Plenty of paths to Ramble and places to see,You can make it as long or as short as you like,you won't be disappointed. ENJOY

Absolutely breathtaking. As soon as we reached the viewpoint to take in the scenery, we heard a peregrine call out across the valley. I am so grateful that places of such extraordinary natural beauty are protected.

The Wye is the prettiest River out there. She winds her way through gorgeous countryside. Stunning scenery all the way. My idea of heaven 😍

Great day out on beautiful steam railway. Clean carriages, allowed to take food and drink on the journey, invited on the footplate of the engine to see it up close.

Really good, round trip on the steam train then again on the diesel train. Lunch at the cafe. At 27° probably too hot a day but hey ho better than raining.

Well worth the money, had an excellent trip! Lots of history to see. The tickets were a very reasonable price, the museum was great and entrance to that was free! The gift shop has a lot of variety, and the cafe was reasonably priced as well, loved the cake! A disused train carriage is now used as a shop, selling second hand books, toys etc, a lovely touch. There is decent disability access both at the center and on the train with some very spacious and open carriages in amongst the others, allowing plenty of room for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Dogs are allowed also. Not a single complaint to be made, it was great. I will definitely be visiting again with the kids!

Excellent couple of hours. A pleasant steam ride through the forest. Accompanied by a very nice, large portion of fish and chips, washed down by Prosecco. Good to support these voluntary organisations.

A wonderful steam railway - the first class carriage is well worth the upgrade!

A wonderful day. We bought a Rover ticket, so you can hop on and off all day. First train at 10:15 last train at 16:50. Lovely rides, wonderful volunteers with a lot to chat about. Totally relaxing. The single ride is short yes, but if you take it a few times with a lunch at Whitecroft, the Miners Arms (perfect beer and lunch), you will see some of the countryside and the Forest of Dean. But the love for this steam train and the detail/renovation of the stations and the people running it, makes it very special and a wonderful day. We loved it!

Great restoration project, with lots of relevant touches from the period andl steam trains regularly going from Parkend. Worth the trip for the feel of steam travel and a good experience for kids, easy access and parking for elderly and disabled.

Lovely stay, friendly staff. We got moved to a grass pitch after having booked a hardstanding, this wasn't an issue as I had mainly booked hardstanding encase it rained. But the friendly staff provided free breakfast and cuppa tea for me and the Mrs, which was very kind of them. The location was brilliant for our mid journey to North Wales after having done the Four Waterfalls Walk.

Stayed for 1 night whilst exploring the Forest of Dean- lovely dog-friendly campsite with immaculate facilities. Sadly didn’t get the opportunity try the bacon rolls or freshly baked croissants that were on offer from reception in the mornings but would definitely stay here again when I visit next!

The cleanliness & maintenance was exceptional. Superb facilities. Well marked, good pitch size, with good privacy. A very pretty site. Walkable in to town. We're regular campervanners and have visited dozens of sites in the last five years. This is one of the nicest sites we've been too.

My girlfriend and I booked a different campsite by the same name by mistake, but arrived here. After a quick easy phone call we were told to park up, set up and camp and we’ll sort it out in the morning. Extremely friendly and helpful service. Loads of space top quality amenities. We will absolutely come back and make sure we book this place!

Fantastic site. Staff so friendly and helpful and lovely showers and washing up facilities. Great shop, well stocked and open all day. Only small gripe is could do with a shelf for toiletries in shower and the new electric system defeated me 😀

Returned from the most amazing trip with 40 other friends on this fabulous campsite the owners couldn’t be more accommodating or helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. It’s within easy walking reach of a lovely little quaint town with railway museum. Plenty of cafés and pubs. The campsite itself is excellent beautifully kept facilities immaculate They offer food that can be pre-ordered on a they offer food that can be pre-ordered on a Friday evening they do coffees and breakfast …Already booked again for next year.

Just got back from a.lovey week here. Nice place to stay. Hardstanding pitchs nice size. They have done a far bit of work on the site to make your stay a nice one. The shop is great loved the bacon rolls in the morning. Staff very friendly and will go out of there way to make your stay a great one. Showers water lovey and hot. Look forward to going back. Regards Graham/ Tracey.

Lovely walk along the Sculpture Trail, fantastic trails are well planned without spoiling the beauty. Walking the dogs an absolute pleasure. Lovely cafe, with huge meadow and playground for children.

No where better to be to recharge life than among the trees in the Forest of Dean and walking the Wye Valley. Great bird watching and other types of Flora and Fauna.

First visited as a child & been back a few times. It's still a beautiful, calming place to be at one with nature

I've lived here since 2022. It's an old, beautiful forest. Sometimes walking through the forest I feel like a character in some old folk tale or this is the same path that Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins' group just walked. I love this area.

Strange place quick walk to me three hours to find my way out

Gorgeous walks in the forest with our dogs

The Forest of Dean is in my opinion one of the most beautiful places on the planet with its natural rural landscapes it is easy to spend hours just walking away round the area. There are a lot of amenities and things to do but maybe not as many as say somewhere like the Lake District but at the same time the FoD is less touched than the Lakes

Wayne was amazing, he really looked after my daughter and her friends for her birthday gorge walking. Would definitely recommend.

Back from a fantastic weekend, canoeing down the River Wye - family get-together, 6 adults and dog, guided by Wayne. We arrived Friday evening, canoed for 2 days, camping in between. Wayne and Di organised everything perfectly. Wayne guides gently on the river, tells tales of the riverbank and joins in with the banter. And then there is his catering! Very yummy food all along the way. This is our second expedition with Wayne. The first (River Spey) was brilliant and this was too. Wayne has the best equipment. He is the best guide and river buddy you could have. We'll be back for more!

Wayne gave a well instructed and informed guided tour of kayaking down the Wye river. Personable, approachable and knowledgeable he gave our small group a lovely experience that we won't forget. I would highly recommend to anyone and his insights into the local area and other outdoor pursuits were equally as vast as his wit too!

Wayne is just awesome! Really knowledgeable, fun and kind. Supportive of all abilities and ages. Doesn’t matter if you are an expert or a novice, raring to go or a little bit nervous, Wayne will accommodate you and ensure you have a great time. Thank you!

We highly recommend Way2Go Adventures! We had an amazing afternoon exploring the Brecon Canal near Monmouthshire. We are both beginners, and our instructor Wayne gave us the confidence we needed to enjoy this quiet stretch of water. We had originally planned to canoe on the River Wye, however recent rainfall had made this unsafe. It was wonderful that Wayne had a backup plan, so we weren't let down. He also provided all the waterproof safety clothing needed and even offered a hot drink when we had finished our activity. Canoeing would be a great activity for families with teenage children, as it builds confidence and is an opportunity to work as a team, while also enjoying the breathtaking landscape. We look forward to coming again for the River Wye experience!

Organise an afternoon kayak trip for 9 individuals on the River Wye -fun was had by all. Wayne was able to transport us from the meeting point, to where we were to start on the River Wye. Paul was our guide for the afternoon on the river and was able to provide an informative afternoon while kayaking down the river. Everyone in the evening remenised of the fun they had during day. Thanks Di, Wayne and Paul. 🛶😄🏞

Thank you. We had another fabulous afternoon on Sunday. Such a great way to spend the day, we all loved it especially Jessica our daughter she was taking about how fun it was all the way home!

Beautiful lodge, home from home. Great base for all the amazing things to do around the Forest of Dean.. Its all just there, on your doorstep. It is all so peaceful... The hot tub is an added bonus. We will definitely be back and will be recommending it to our family and friends.

A lovely big house perfect for big parties. The big kitchen meant we could all pitch in with the cooking and the large dining room was perfect for dining together. The log fire in the living room is an excellent touch which made the place feel very cosy. Beware low ceilings on the top floor and on the stairs, a few of our taller friends (6'3 and above) bumped their heads a few times.

The location was lovely. Me and my fiance got engaged here. Ruined by the host, Erica who blamed us for her faulty Glamping gear and when our clothes and luggage got soaked, offered nothing in return. Stay away from the glamping, it's all cheap amazon stuff.

Good location... nice lodges, clean & quiet, We booked one that sleeps 6, we were a party of 3, it would be a struggle relaxing in the evening as downstairs living area did not have enough seats for 6 people, might be ok with part of the party being children.. information pack needs updating & maybe adding some walking ideas. The wifi was a struggle to connect, picked up a different wifi but very poor signal kept cutting off... radiator in one of the bedrooms didn't work so the room was cooler.... all in all lovely lodges just need the little comfort things working properly.

First the good bits. Good property in a great location and a fair price. Now the rest, fair price if everything worked as it should! Now I accept that faults might happen but for us staying (end of Oct 2020) it was important for something like THE OVEN to work so we could feed us all. We contacted one of the owners (Erica) to explain the situation. I'm not sure if it was a bad time to be contacting her but the only way I can describe her is rude, patronising, obnoxious and unhelpful. She might say "I did offer the use in another kitchen (in an empty let about 30-40 metres away) or a microwave (which I don't use at home) " but for a family of 5 this is not acceptable (also a couple of us have tricky dietary requirements). The phone reception was almost none (which is OK if you have no problems so I had to stand outside in the rain whilst being patronised by Erica) and the WiFi was not working so it reduced the methods of contact with the owner,who was very patronising in regards of explaining that too, apparently "I wasn't following wifi instructions correctly" etc. At no point was there an apology in regards to faulty products which would have been the least someone could have done or even suggested the "hot tub" (extra £30) would be complimentary because of the inconvenience. Also we had 3 children which Erica said could not play on a green area outside because they would create too much noise (although it's sold as a family letting) Maybe with some training in hospitality this could be averted. The maintenance guy on the other hand done his best, was very helpful but couldn't solve the issues. If there was some form of apology etc for the inconvenience instead of a cold proprietor, I wouldn't have left this review. I believe it is only fair to leave this for any future CUSTOMERS

A lot of money for not a lot. The lodges are supposed to sleep 6 but you would struggle to fit 4 in the space you are given. The 5th and 6th guests are expected to sleep on a very awkwardly uncomfortable sofa bed. The rooms are “cosy” in the sense that there really isn’t a lot of room. The bathroom is located in the kitchen/living area so definitely not one for guests that aren’t keen on walking around in towels up and down to bedrooms or using the toilet facilities while everyone else sits and watches the tv/eats there dinner. There are more facility’s you can use such as a hot tub and steam room. These are all at an extra cost and are also shared with the other 2 lodges. If you are looking for somewhere to just sleep and leave then this would be an ok place to stay.

The Lodge was lovely just a shame there were no fans as it was so hot at night, hot tub brilliant lovely to relax in after a day of walking. Definitely would go back there as well worth it for the rest ans scenery!!

Cracking little free festival put on in the heart of coleford in the forest of dean,4 stages of different genres,all free,even parking is free! Highly recommend

The best coffee in this trip. The service was top notch and I loved the ambience. The prices were reasonable. The Oreo brownies were the highlight.

Hopewell Colliery is a fascinating place to visit for a couple of hours, with something for all ages. Our kids absolutely loved it. The history of the Free Miners within the Hundred of St Briavels is unique and really brought to life here. The underground tour was made extra special by our fantastic guide, who was a natural storyteller and kept everyone engaged from start to finish. A brilliant mix of history, heritage and hands-on experience - highly recommended!

Brilliant visit on a rainy afternoon. With expert knowledge the tour guide shared his experience in an engaging way to suit both the adults and children in the group. We were kitted out and escorted down the mine shafts to the coal beds. (You need to be mobile enough to navigate the steep walk down and back up!). We were educated about the free miners and shown the traditional mining techniques. The tour was about an hour and well worth the modest fee ( £10 for adults). Fascinating stuff ! The cafe was also fabulous with generous portions and no excessive prices. Easy to park. Would definitely recommend!

Fantastic experience visiting this coal mine in the Forest of Dean, the guide Rich was very informative and engaging. It was a wonderful insight to the history of free mining and the skills and knowledge that mining takes. Best to book in advance to avoid disappointment per some other reviews, we went early morning and ended up being the only people on the tour! You are provided with a helmet and lamp for your safety, I would recommend walking shoes/boots and a jumper! The café staff were also very welcoming and friendly, we didn't stay to eat as we had plans for after this visit though

A great tour to see how a working mine is. For a modest £10, it's great value. If you tall, keep your head down, hit my head a couple of times, what the hard hat for! Well recommended.

The tour was incredibly informative, we learnt a lot about free mining and the geology of the local area. Our tour guide was very welcoming and friendly. The cafe onsite was well worth a visit with loads of gluten free cake options which is usually a rear treat. Thanks for a lovely morning.

If there were more stars ... excellent tour. Worth the £10, plus !!! Our guide, Rich, was friendly, informative and reassuring. Advertised as 45 mins, we were about an hour. Start with helmets/head torches. Wise to wear sturdy footwear. Little chat before setting off, then a steep walk down, with regular stops and chats. It's amazing history !! Lots of explanations about the access, the working conditions, the tools used and the locality 'free' mineral. Also an opportunity experience true darkness with headtorches off for a couple of minutes. Hand rails all the way, surprisingly easier hoping back up. Obviously fairly low roof, so walking with slightly bent neck. So much discussion, plenty of opportunity for questions - best £10 each we've spent for a long while !!! Loads of parking, no height barrier. Toilets in same site cafe. Little information hut with a potted history. Excellent Excellent tour/experience.

Fascinating colliery mine tour. Full of interesting facts and insights into the working life of miners past and present. Very enjoyable and would readily recommend.

Absolutely love this place. The trails are brilliant and well managed, plus everything is well signposted along your travels on various routes. I know my limits, so stay well away from the double black runs, but thoroughly enjoy every other run that I can find (although we still can't find Elephant Man!). Managed everything up to Corkscrew so far. Only thing I would say is that the heavy braking zone on Launchpad is getting progressively more bumpy, to the point where it's almost uncomfortable for the kids so needs a bit of TLC! This place is so much better than some pay for trails you can go to! *Update* I forgot to mention that the signage also contains What Three Words locations, which I absolutely love. Any need for emergency services will get them straight to where they need to go

Great day at a very well run and maintained park. Everything you can need is here on site... Arrived at the car park which was very well signed and paying was easy. RingGo, cash and card payments accepted: £5/2hrs £7.50/4hrs £9/All Day. Toilets on site for men, women and baby changing facilities. Cycle shop for any last minute new parts, equipment or clothing. Trail pocket maps are available here for £3 and money goes towards the maintenance of the cycle park. Food shop available with hot and cold drinks along with hot and cold food, even ice-cream and fresh baked goodies. Indoor and outdoor door seating available. Free water for drinking from the fountain outside and even dog bowls here too. Places to spray wash your bike on those muddy days. At the pedalabikeaway shop you can rent bikes from hard tails to full suspension e-bikes, safety kit and water bottles even kids seats and trailer options available. There are on-site bike repair options for your own bike too. Staff here are very helpful and informative. See their website for booking ahead to avoid options not being available on the day. As for the biking itself there are multiple options from long cross country trails, blue and red with some technical areas within including up hill climbs. A dedicated e-bike uphill technical area. A pump track, easy and moderate skills areas to play or warm up on. Green trails for kids and new riders with some blue options thrown in to build yourself up to the main trails or downhill sections. The downhill areas have a dedicated push up path leading to the top and start of most of the trails and it is well signposted all the way. The downhill trails are all posted from start to finish and connect nicely, again sign posted at the start and finish of each trail. These range from Blue through to double black. Information boards at the top and bottom fully explain the technicalities of each colour and what to expect. The colliers yellow trail is an option to take a more relaxed ride through and around the forest with a bit of history and culture thrown in. Beautiful scenery to absorb too. The trail has some blue options along the way to give older kids and adults something extra to their gravel track ride. This route does involve a road cycling section but this is only along a long car park entrance and also one main road crossing. Everything is well maintained along all the trails thanks to the fabulous team and volunteers here. I had no issues in the 6 hrs I was there where I covered the green to red cross country routes and blue to black downhill sections, colliers trail, pump track and skills area, including new blue skill zones.

Fantastic place for all abilities. Flatish routes to ride around all day. Also the bike park area is super. Maintained trails

Never gets boring. There are so many trails for all abilities! If you don't have a bike, you can hire one.

fantastic bike/trail park.great blue trail for beginners to average riders.down hill trails great and as good as bike park wales.£9 parking all day but no other charges.good cafe toilets etc.worth the trip.

Blue and red trails were really fun, nice bikes to hire. The drop off and jump lines were really good to practice on too. Looking forward to coming back again. *Was a super hot day when I rode, the cafe was closed and all the taps were switched off. Had to ride around for a while to find the other visitor centre to get some supplies.

Great place but watch the fellow MTB riders could be chaotical all over the place diffrent speeds kids jumping in front of your bike so be careful.

Visited on Saturday the 5th July with our little boy who loves trains. Very friendly and informative gentlemen guided us around the different areas of the museum, they were a font of knowledge. We all learned a lot and would recommend railway enthusiasts to visit.

Absolutely brilliant, guys are full of information and provide a well thought out tour packed full of historical and operational explanations as to how the trains,tracks and associated infrastructure were made,maintained and operated. The little ones really enjoyed the train ride around the museum! Also a very helpful calm and patient bunch of guys. Thanks for making our day.

I had a lovely time at Coleford GWR Museum yesterday, looking at the exhibits and chatting with the staff there. I'm a volunteer at the Mid Hants Railway and they are both volunteers at the Dean Forest Railway, so it was interesting to compare notes on railway operations during the COVID-19 pandemic! I'd love to give more stars, but I feel there's a lot of work to be done. The volunteers I chatted to are aware of this, so it's no discredit to them. Given the fantastic location (both in terms of being so close to the town centre and being in such a wonderful original building), there's a great opportunity for a really accessible museum which tells the story of the railway and its relevance to the area to a wide audience. What they actually have is unquestionably an impressive collection - both in terms of its size and variety -, but much of it is chiefly interesting if you already know what you're looking at and what was used for. So much more could - and should - be done to explain these items in accessible terms. To transform this from a collection into a really good museum would, of course, be an enormous amount of work, and the volunteers here are obviously working with very limited resources. I hope they get some more volunteers and are able to keep heading in the right direction. Thank-you for an enjoyable visit. Keep up the good work!

This is our second forrest holiday. We love the relaxed atmosphere of the forrests. Staff always polite and helpful.

What an experience. I was not expecting an incredibly detailed guided tour that lasted over 2 hours. The wealth of knowledge and passion is amazing. There is so much to look at and take in, and it is like going into someone's private collection. As a railway fan I still learnt so much, and I think any established railway or engineering enthusiast would thoroughly enjoy this.

Nice volunteer run museum. A small 7 1/4 train ride for the kids and my son loved the signal box, they let him operate the levers. You are probably going to be less than an hr, and bring cash, but if you are into your railways and in Coleford, not to be missed.

This place is only open on Friday and Saturday's. It was closed when I visited, but that was fine as I only wanted to take photos of the signal box, and this was easy to do.

Such a beautiful place for a walk! I like to bring my little ones here so they can run around (plus it's pushchair friendly), and it's fenced off so I don't need to worry about them running into the road or too deep into the woods. Dogs are (meant to be) kept on leads, so less chance of them jumping up at us.

Absolutely beautiful arboretum and walks to Speech House Lake, fanatic roads, well marked, stunning woods and so peaceful at the lake. Free car parking too Dog friendly

Love love love this place. We make sure to visit whenever we are at the Forest. A small but beautiful arboretum (particularly beautiful in autumn colors), with access to wider forest trails. Lots of color and mushrooms! A minor improvement would be more information on the trees (not all have identifying plaques) but appreciate it is free so this may not be possible. Well worth a visit and we will be back.

Lovely! Nice variety of tree (as you'd hope), free parking, dogs running maniacally after elusive squirrels, good paths all round the place, proper gates - a lovely welcome to the forest walks surrounding. (Also nearby is a lovely looking lake)

Nice, quiet & pleasant walking area

We visit here regularly to exercise our dogs in the enclosed and gated area. Two good car parks make access easy and also gives you direct access to forest trails for longer walks.

Loved this place! Hadn't really experienced much of the forest of Dean so decided to take my dog and explore a little. Was not disappointed! The arboretum itself is small, but peaceful, however it extends well beyond with endless tracks and paths, lakes and woodland/ forest. Could walk for hours. Worth a visit for sure! Free parking too.