Head to the Dean Heritage Centre for five acres of stunning scenery plus five on-site interactive galleries, including a Victorian cottage, charcoal-burners’ camp, waterwheel and beam engine. Take a mine tour at Hopewell Colliery, try Krazygolf at Lydney or the night-time maize maze at Elton Farm with hot drinks and cakes.
Chug along the Dean Forest Railway, a five-station branch line with enticing stop-offs for country walks and pub meals. Keep the steam coming on the Perrygrove Railway and break up your day with woodland treasure-hunting or den-building. Or call Severnwye Equestrian for llama-trekking in the forest with camels, donkeys and mules.
Discover an unfathomable natural cave system that’s been mined for more than 4,500 years at Clearwell Caves. Try climbing and bouldering at Forest Climbing in Cinderford. And stay there to watch the latest films at the Cinderford Palace. Or visit Puzzlewood for twisted trees in an otherworldly woodland of paths, bridges and lookout points.
Paint your own pots with Bird’s Pottery in Littledean – or put in a house call and get them down to Silvertree. Or head to Beechenhurst for the Gruffalo Spotters’ Trail, the sculpture trail, play area, Go Ape treetop adventure and climbing tower. Refuel with a cake and coffee in the on-site café.
Shoot some clay from the skies at Mork Clay Pigeon Shooting Club in Lydney. Stay in town to shoot nine holes of riverside golf. Catch carp and catfish at Elton Lakes, or simply fish the Severn, which supports almost every species of freshwater fish, including barbel, unseen before 1956.
Hit the trails and roads on mountain bikes and e-bikes from Dean Forest Cycles or Pedal a Bike Away. Keep the active theme going and take to the treetops at Go Ape at Mallards Pike, with its newly extended zipwire on the exhilarating Challenge course. Need to chill? Come home to a spot of on-site yoga by the pool.
Climb some jaw-dropping, knee-knocking pinnacles at Symonds Yat. And stay there for paddleboarding and canoeing along the River Wye, or simply an effortless boat cruise. Rip up some mud on quad bikes with Severn Valley Quad Trekking. Or say goodbye to the beaten track at Whitecliff 4 x 4.
Embrace a gentler pace of life walking with llamas at Briery Hill. Visit national icon Tintern Abbey and glorious, history-packed border castles such as St Briavels, Clearwell, Goodrich and Penyard. Wrap up the day with some real ale from the cask at the Black Pig in Newnham.
