Forest of Dean Gloucestershire
Pedal through a fabled forest where wild boar roam among swathes of flowering bluebells.
DISTANCE: 9.7 MILES/15.4KM
TIME: 1.5–2.5 HOURS
LEVEL: EASY–MODERATE ASCENT: 137M
TERRAIN: Mostly gravel surfaces with one or two hills; cycled clockwise, most of the climbing is done early on.
Sightings of stout, bristly haired boars are becoming more frequent in the ancient Forest of Dean. They’ve made a home here, growing in numbers since a group escaped from a farm in the 1990s, followed by an illegal release in 2004. No one knows for sure how many there are, but signs of them are everywhere, from wallow pits in the mud and tusk-scarred trees to churned-up grass verges.
Keep quiet and you may spot these rotavating mammals, as well as deer, foraging among mats of bluebells. The forest is also home to pied and spotted flycatchers, wood warblers and redstarts, as well as elusive, nocturnal nightjars.
The 10-mile-long Family Cycle Trail is one of the best routes in the forest, following waymarkers along the old Severn and Wye railway line, passing time-worn stations and former collieries through enchanting ancient woodland.
1 STEELY DEER
Start at the Pedalabikeaway cycle centre in the oak-wooded Cannop Valley. Cross the bridge over the road and follow the trail as it heads uphill – it’s not too strenuous, but will give your thighs an early workout. Keep your eyes peeled on your right for a deer sculpture among the trees, made entirely from steel rods and wire. After you pass under a horseshoeshaped bridge, you’ll soon come to Drybrook Road Station.
2 INDUSTRY OF OLD
If you’re cycling with children and the full 10 miles seems a bit of a stretch, you can turn right here for the Hicksters Way Loop – a fivemile route back to the cycle centre. Otherwise, continue straight ahead.
Cycling among the light-green oaks, beeches, larches and sweet
Stop for a picnic and watch swans, ducks and geese on the ponds
chestnuts, it’s easy to forget that this land has been shaped by industry, from tree-felling for shipbuilding in the 16th century to coal mining in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Relics of this past are dotted throughout the forest, including the former Lightmoor Colliery at Foxes Bridge, which closed in 1930. You’ll pass this old colliery, then another at New Fancy.
3 STEP INTO THE MAP
From the old spoil heap lookout, enjoy spectacular views across the treetops – you might even see a buzzard or goshawk soaring above. The vista also has a Geomap – a fascinating walk-on map that depicts the underlying geology, mines and quarries of the forest. From here, it’s a thrilling descent, filled with twists and turns. You’ll pass a mighty oak tree, where men from the local collieries used to gather for their union meetings.
4 LUNCH STOP
Soon you’ll reach Cannop Ponds, created to power a huge waterwheel at Parkend Ironworks a couple of miles away. It’s an idyllic spot to stop for a picnic and watch swans, mandarin ducks and geese. Dragonflies and damselflies bob among the reeds, while butterflies, including the wood white and small pearl-bordered fritillary, search for food in the woodland rides.
5 FOREST PROTECTION
When you reach Speech House Road station, get off your bike to cross the street. The station’s namesake, Speech House, now a hotel, was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Charles II in 1669. Verderers Court, a room in the house where judgments took place over 300 years ago, is now a fine-dining restaurant. Judicial officers, known as Verderers, dealt with shady behaviour in the forest, including the poaching of deer and illegal cutting of woodland. Today, regular verderers meetings are still held at Speech House to discuss management of the vert (woodlands and open land), deer and, of course, the mischievous wild boar.
Cross the road bridge again and head back to the cycle centre where you can rest your weary legs in a café buzzing with mountain bikers.