An Enchanting Forest With Ancient Trees In The UK Has Been An Inspiration For Many Films
Nothing will make you feel like you are a main character in a fantasy story quite like walking through an old-growth forest. While there are plenty of enchanting forests around the world — from the hidden Puck's Glen woodland walk in the Scottish Highlands to the whimsical forests in Chile's Villarrica National Park — if you are looking for a mystical forest that is straight out of a movie, there is none better than Puzzlewood.
Located in the Forest of Dean in England near the border with Wales, this ancient forest is rumored to have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. It has also been the set for countless films, including "The Secret Garden," "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and "The Huntsman: Winter's War." In fact, Puzzlewood's accolades don't just end there. It was used as the setting for multiple TV shows, including the BBC's famous hit series, "Merlin" and "Doctor Who."
Full of twisted hundred-plus-year-old trees and rock formations carpeted in moss, walking through Puzzlewood gives visitors the feeling of being transported into a real-life fairytale. As one reviewer on TripAdvisor described, "There was something fascinating around every corner, and I could have spent many more hours there discovering its secrets."
What to know before your visit to Puzzlewood
Located around 45 minutes north of Bristol and 55 minutes northeast of Cardiff, Puzzlewood is a great day trip from either city. It takes around an hour to an hour and a half to traverse the winding and twisting trails inside this enchanting forest. You should budget around three hours total for your trip as there are a few things to do on the grounds outside of the forest. For example, you can spend some time at the Puzzlewood Cafe or check out some of the resident animals, including chickens, donkeys, ducks, and the ultra fluffy and adorable highland cattle. The Puzzlewood Cafe is the perfect place to stop for a quick snack and has a simple menu of items like cold sandwiches, cakes, and cold and hot drinks to help tide you over until your next meal.
The best time to visit this inspiring fairytale forest is in spring when everything is bright green, and the ground is covered in wild garlic and bluebells. However, every season in Puzzlewood has its own charm. Summer is a good time to see the dark green ferns come to life, while the forest in autumn is filled with an array of wild mushrooms. Entrance into Puzzlewood costs £9.50 (around $12) for adults and £8.00 (around $10) for children. Children under two years old can enter the forest for free. Puzzlewood does shut its doors in the wintertime and is closed from early December to mid-February.
Where to stay and what else to do near Puzzlewood
Because Puzzlewood is part of the famous Forest of Dean, which is known for its beautiful storybook cottages and towns surrounded by charming forests, there are plenty of things to do in and around Puzzlewood — and it is definitely worth staying a night in the area to explore. If you want to find a hotel near this mystical forest, the closest town of Coleford has many wonderful options that will even elevate the fairytale vibes of your trip, like the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel, the Angel Hotel, and the Speech House, which was once a hunting lodge for King Charles II.
While in Coleford, make sure to check out the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail, which is an open-air art exhibit in the forest that includes many beautiful sculptures and a series of hanging stained glass. Once you are done exploring Coleford and the quiet beauty of the Forest of Dean, you can check out some historic sites in the surrounding countryside. One great place to visit is the village of Winchcombe, which is full of historic castles and peaceful gardens and is only an hour's drive from Coleford.