A wealth of activities on your doorstep

Walking/Scenery

The extraordinary natural beauty of this part of the country is perhaps the most compelling reason to visit. Explore and experience the Royal Forest of Dean, with its stunning walks through 25,000 acres of unspoilt natural forest. Covered with bluebells in the spring, foxgloves in the summer and glorious foliage in Autumn, and you may catch a glimpse of the elusive wild boar. Visit the Dean Heritage Museum as a good starting point to get to know the area and its history.

Through the bluebell woodlands behind the farm you can walk to Gatcombe overlooking the River Severn with its famous Severn Bore and join the Severn Way riverside walk. Gatcombe was an important Elizabethan port visited by Sir Francis Drake, but is now a sleepy hamlet. You can walk along the country lanes or footpaths across fields to the villages of Awre (2.5 miles), with its working farms and ancient church, or down the hill (up on the way back!) to Blakeney (1 mile) with the Cock Inn offering local ale and cider and delicious locally sourced meals (dogs welcome in the bar), and the very popular Uncle Tony's Italian Restaurant.

All that plus the lower Wye Valley, a very special area of outstanding natural beauty with so much to discover from Symonds Yat to Tintern Abbey, canoeing to real ale brewing. Oh yes and it's great for touring with Bath, Cheltenham Spa, loads of castles, the Cotswolds and the beaches of South Wales all easily accessible.

 

Family, Activities and Food

The Forest boasts cycle paths voted the best in Britain, and with attractions such as two steam railways, Llama trekking, GoApe tree top adventure, mountain boarding, Clearwell caves, craft centres, Westbury Court Gardens (unique grade 2 English Heritage water gardens), tea shops, pottery, a Sculpture Trail, wildlife centres, Tolkien's Puzzle Wood, activities are plentiful for all ages. For foodies there is a renowned Smokery, cheese making, perry/cider making, bee keeping, vineyards and even a Michelin starred restaurant.

Our favourite place to eat are locally are the Ugly Duckling in Lydney, the Ostrich Inn at Newland, the Red Hart Inn at Blaisdon and the Cock Inn at Blakeney. The White Hart at Broadoak, on the way to Gloucester is also excellent, and child friendly.

Explore and experience one of England's best kept secrets, The Forest of Dean.

 

Golf/Fishing/Clay Shooting/ Paint Balling

Internationally acclaimed golf at Celtic Manor and St Pierre in Chepstow. The pretty and challenging Monmouth Golf Club as well as many local courses.

The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean offers some excellent fishing both on the River Wye itself and its many tributaries and also on some of the wonderful still water ponds and lakes in the Forest of Dean.

Simulated shooting activities can be arranged either with www.dbcleisure.co.uk or www.forestofdeanpaintball.co.uk; the latter is located in woods a short walk from Oatfield.

For lots more local information, visit www. wyedeantourism.co.uk