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  • Stay
    • Accessible Accommodation
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    • Caravans, Campervans & Holiday Parks
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      • Adventure & Extreme
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      • Canoeing, Kayaking & Watersports
      • Climbing
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Golf
      • Food & Drink Experiences
      • Nature & Wildlife Experiences
      • Shooting & Archery
      • Walking & Hiking
    • Attractions
      • Beauty Spots & Visitor Sites
      • Castles & Ruins
      • Cinema & Theatre
      • History & Heritage
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Nature & Wildlife Attractions
    • Experiences
    • Walking
      • 12 Easy Walks
      • Guided Tours
      • The Wye Valley Walk
      • Good with the Dog
      • The Offa's Dyke Path
      • Symonds Yat Rock Walks
      • The Wye Valley Greenway
      • Accessible Walks
      • Other Walking Routes & Trails
    • Cycling
      • Bike Hire
      • Cycle Trails
      • Family Cycling
      • Guided Rides
      • Mountain Biking and Downhill
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    • Family Friendly
      • Young Families
      • With Tweens & Teens
    • Group Friendly
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      • Guided Tours
      • Walking Tours & Trails
      • Cycling Tours & Trails
      • On the Water
      • Driving Routes
      • Film & TV Trail
      • Myths & Legends Trail
      • Market Towns Trail
      • Heritage Trails
      • 'Feel the Love' Romantic Trail
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      • Local Food & Drink
      • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Towns & Villages
      • Online Gift Guide
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  • Food & Drink
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    • Cafes & Tea Rooms
    • Dog Friendly Places to Eat
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      • Shops Offering Home Delivery
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      • Seasonal Guides
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      • Freemining
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      • Cheltenham
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      • Wye Valley Perfection
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  1. Deer in the Forest of Dean
  2. Bluebells in the Forest of Dean
  3. Visit the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
  4. Nuthatch in the Forest of Dean

You are here: Explore > Nature & Wildlife

Nature & Wildlife of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley

From the 20 million trees in the Forest of Dean to the 58 mile long Wye Valley AONB, our natural beauty, dramatic landscapes and plethora of flora and fauna are what make our area so unique. You can walk for miles along glorious paths and see a wide range of local plants, trees and animals. You can spot unusual birds in a number of reserves, hear the most divine dawn chorus, see deer and boar if you're lucky, and in fact you may even see some of our resident wildlife from your holiday accommodation. Nature is at the heart of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley and in these pages we hope you will learn a little more about what makes this area so special.

About the Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean was recorded as The Forest in the 'Domesday Book' (1086) and as Dene or Dean after the Old English Denu for valley. In medieval times it was a royal hunting forest, before becoming a source of timber for the navy's Tudor warships. By Victorian times it was a major site of industry, with coal mining and tramways punctuating the landscape. In 1924 it was transferred to the Forestry Commission and in 1938 it was designated as the first National Forest Park in England. Today, it is still a working forest and Forestry England manages it sympathetically and sensitively while liaising on conservation matters with the main conservation bodies.

The Forest of Dean is bound by the rivers Wye to the north and west, and the Severn to the south and east. Around the Forest are rolling hills, farms and vineyards and many interesting villages and towns. These ancient woodlands and its variety of wildlife hold many surprises just waiting to be discovered.

About the Wye Valley

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an internationally important protected landscape, first designated an AONB in 1971. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscapes in Britain and straddles the border between England and Wales. Although the River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK at 134 miles long, the Wye Valley AONB covers the southern-most 126 sq miles, from Hereford in the north to Chepstow in the south where the Wye meets the Severn.

Having the same level of protection as a National Park, the purpose of the AONB is to conserve and enhance the outstanding landscape of the Wye Valley, so that we, and future generations, can enjoy it. The Wye Valley offers a varied and contrasting geographical landscape, from the flatter Herefordshire valley with a winding river, to dramatic limestone cliffs with nesting peregrine falcons.

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Find Out More

Find Your Freedom

  1. Wildlife
    Wildlife
    We have a wide range of wildlife here in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, including deer, boar and birds. Find out about the animals which live here and where you might be able to spot them on your visit.
  2. Birds of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
    Birds of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
    The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is home to a huge variety of birds throughout the year. Some are resident and can be seen in great numbers while others come here for the spring and summer, or autumn and winter. The mosaic of woodland, heathland, bogs and mires, rivers and streams, farmland and grassland habitats provide a rich environment for birds, many of which are nationally rare.
  3. Nature & Wildlife Experiences
    Nature & Wildlife Experiences
    Our wildlife experiences and nature-based activities are of course abundant here in our ancient forest and wild river valley. Our countryside holds many treasures and we have a wide range of activities and experiences ideal for exploring and learning about our natural world. We have foraging and bushcraft experiences, wildlife safaris and birdsong walks, birds of prey and falconry experiences and much much more.
  4. Boar
    Boar
    Boar were once common in the Forest of Dean and were hunted for food. In medieval times, boar from the Royal Forest were supplied for the king's table - there is a record of an order for 100 boars and sows for a Christmas feast in 1254.
  5. Deer
    Deer
    There are three species of deer to look out for in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley: the fallow, roe and muntjac. There is a good chance of seeing deer particularly once you move away from busy areas.
  6. Nature & Wildlife Attractions
    Nature & Wildlife Attractions
    The natural world is abundant here and there are so many wild and magical places to explore in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. Places you can explore off the beaten track, where you can immerse yourself in nature, places where you can discover ancient trees, impressive wildlife and places you can take the whole family for a great day out.
  7. Flora
    Flora
    The underlying geology of the Forest of Dean is limestone and sandstone and has resulted in a rich and varied flora. The Forest is home to many wild flowers, from winter snowdrops to spring bluebells, daffodils and foxgloves
  8. Bluebells
    Bluebells
    The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is home to some of the most spectacular shows of bluebells in the country and visitors eagerly await their return each year and the pleasure of seeing the stunning carpets of bluebells that can be found deep in the woods or even viewed from the road while driving. Here are our best places to see bluebells in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.
  9. Daffodils
    Daffodils
    The area around Dymock, on the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire borders, is famed for its wild daffodils that can be seen each year around the end of March. Once a common sight throughout Gloucesteshire, and its county flower, these small blooms are now found mainly in the "golden triangle".
  10. Trees
    Trees
    There are over 20 million trees in the Forest of Dean alone with a wide range of both deciduous and evergreen trees. Predominant is oak, both pedunculate and sessile. Beech is common and sweet chestnut has grown here for many centuries, as well as ash, birch and holly. Conifers include some Weymouth pine from 1781, Norway spruce, Douglas fir and larch.
  11. Severn Bore
    Severn Bore
    If you haven't yet witnessed the incredible spectacle that is the Severn Bore, make a date to do so, it's well worth it. One of Britain's few natural phenomena, the Severn Bore is a large surge wave that can be seen in the estuary of the River Severn, where the tidal range is the 2nd highest in the world, being as much as 50 feet (approx. 15.4m).
  12. Nature Reserves and Beauty Spots
    Nature Reserves and Beauty Spots
    You don't need to travel far to spot birds and wildlife in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. But our nature reserves, ponds, lakes and RSPB reserves are great options if you'd like a better chance of spotting our fabulous range of creatures.

Explore Our Highlights

Coleford Faddle Fair
Coleford - Pride of the Forest
The Chocolate Bar at Taurus Crafts, Lydney
The Chocolate Bar
Harts Barn Cookery School
Harts Barn Cookery School
Greenway Farm Glamping
Greenway Farm Glamping
Resilient Woodlands Retreat
Resilient Woodlands Retreat
The Barn at Severn & Wye
The Barn at Severn & Wye - Food Hall, Fish Market and Gift Shop
Wye Adventures
Wye Adventures
Greenway Farm Caravan & Camping Park
Greenway Farm Caravan & Camping Park
Credit Wye Valley AONB
Ross-on-Wye
Lydney
Lydney - Gateway to the Forest
Saracens Head Inn
Saracens Head Inn
Go Ape
Go Ape
The Coach House, Newland
The Coach House - Newland
Mount Annexe
Mount Annexe
Forest Driving Range
Forest Driving Range
Beechenhurst
Beechenhurst Cafe
Oakgrove Holiday Cottage
Oakgrove Cottage
Saracens Head Inn
The Saracens Head Inn
Oakwood Cottage
Oakwood Cottage
Saltbox Escapes - Self-catering accommodation in The Forest of Dean
Saltbox Escapes
Side view of Robin's Barn overlooking Wye Valley
Robin's Barn
Welsh Marches Cottages
Welsh Marches Cottages
Canoe the Wye
Canoe the Wye
Cosy Treat - Luxury Converted Chapel Rehearsal Rooms
Cosy Treat - Luxury Converted Chapel Rehearsal Rooms
PrevPrev
  • 1Coleford - Pride of the Forest
  • 2The Chocolate Bar
  • 3Harts Barn Cookery School
  • 4Greenway Farm Glamping
  • 5Resilient Woodlands Retreat
  • 6The Barn at Severn & Wye - Food Hall, Fish Market and Gift Shop
  • 7Wye Adventures
  • 8Greenway Farm Caravan & Camping Park
  • 9Ross-on-Wye
  • 10Lydney - Gateway to the Forest
  • 11Saracens Head Inn
  • 12Go Ape
  • 13The Coach House - Newland
  • 14Mount Annexe
  • 15Forest Driving Range
  • 16Beechenhurst Cafe
  • 17Oakgrove Cottage
  • 18The Saracens Head Inn
  • 19Oakwood Cottage
  • 20Saltbox Escapes
  • 21Robin's Barn
  • 22Welsh Marches Cottages
  • 23Canoe the Wye
  • 24Cosy Treat - Luxury Converted Chapel Rehearsal Rooms
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