Walking in the Forest of Dean Cicerone Guidebook

by: Mike Dunn
Hemmed in by two major rivers, the Severn and the Wye, the Forest of Dean is truly a land apart, with a distinctive landscape and a unique cultural identity. Encircling ridges and forested slopes give the central forest a secretive quality, while the ridges above the Wye gorge and the Severn Vale offer sensational views and easy walking.
Historically annexed as a Royal Forest since before the Norman Conquest, it remained a protected hunting ground as well as a site for coal-mining and ironworks from Roman times to the Industrial Revolution. Now, the combination of secretive forests, rolling farmland and ridges above the Wye gorge and the Severn Vale provide excellent paths and spectacular views.

The 25 walks in this guidebook range from relatively simple half-day strolls to challenging full-day excursions along parts of the three long-distance trails which thread their way through the area. There are 21 day walks and 4 linear routes along long-distance trails right across the Forest. With the exception of these longer routes, which will take a full day and require a good level of fitness, almost all of the routes are circular walks and generally they can comfortably be completed in half a day.

The walks are described in four sections, covering the western ridges above the gorge of the River Wye; the forested ridges and valleys of central Dean; the eastern ridges together with the lowlands between the Forest and the Severn; and the long-distance trails. Together they offer all the information walkers need to enjoy a wide range of walking among the rolling countryside of the Forest of Dean. Clear route finding instructions are provided illustrated with OS 1:50,000 map extracts. The text also includes notes of historical and natural interest along the way.

The walk titles are:
Northern Ridges of River Wye - 5 miles
Biblins and Yat Rock - 5 miles
The Stones of Staunton - 7 miles
Dean's Cathedral and the old Wye - 4.5 miles
Across the Hudnalls - 7 miles
To the Devil's Pulpit - 5 miles
Woolaston Common - 5.5 miles
Speculation and the Northern Collieries - 6.5 miles
Bixslade and Cannop Ponds - 5 miles
Nagshead and Dark Hill - 6 miles
Parkend to Blakeney - 5.5 miles
The Sculpture Trail - 4.5 miles
New Fancy and the Speech House - 5 miles
Mallards Pike - 5 miles
Soudley Ponds and Blaize Bailey - 4.5 miles
Soudley Rural Geology Trail - 4 miles
May Hill - 4.5 miles
Littledean and Welshbury - 6miles
Longhope and Flaxley - 7.5 miles
Newnham and Bullo Pill - 5 miles
Awre Peninsula and Old Severn Bridge - 9.5 miles
Offa's Dyke Path - 16.5 miles
Gloucestershire Way in the Western Forest - 10 miles
Gloucestershire Way through Central Dean - 11 miles
Wysis Way - 15 miles

ISBN 9781852846893 Pages 155 (2022) 115mm x 172mm