New Fancy Viewpoint

New Fancy, managed by Forestry England, is formerly the site of the New Fancy coal mine. The old spoil heap now provides spectacular views across the Forest with a raised viewing area.

It is an ideal place to watch birds of prey soaring above the woodland. Deer and boar are often seen in the woods too - fallow deer may be spotted in the woodlands below the viewpoint, and adders and grass snakes can occasionally be found sunning themselves on the sides of the spoil heap.

There are footpaths all around including to Mallards Pike with its beautiful lake to the east and Speech House Woods and lake to the north. You can also join the Colliers trail, the family-friendly cycling trail which explores the wider Forest of Dean.

A Geomap was installed in 2008, commissioned by the Forest of Dean Local History Society. Each layer of rock shown on the Geomap is made from the actual rock it represents, taken from local quarries. Overlain on the map is the industrial history, demonstrating the link between the underlying geology and the great quarrying and mining industries of the past.

The Local History society also produced three industrial heritage Mines Trails leaflets, one of which leaves from New Fancy Viewpoint. Each walk is relatively easy and wherever possible follows good forest tracks and can be completed in two to three hours. The New Fancy Trail starts at the New Fancy car park and covers 9 mines including Wellington, Howbeach, Moseley Green, New Engine and Parkend. Visit the Forest of Dean History Society to website to download these leaflets here.