Skip To Main Content

  • Stay
    • Accessible Accommodation
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Camping
    • Caravans, Campervans & Holiday Parks
    • Glamping, Lodges & Cabins
    • Holiday Cottages
    • Hostels & Bunkhouses
    • Hotels
      • Boutique Hotels
    • Pubs & Inns
    • Self-Catering
      • Serviced Apartments
    • Themed Accommodation
      • Accommodation with Hot Tub
      • Accommodation with Swimming Pool
      • Eco Friendly Accommodation
      • Family Friendly Accommodation
      • Group Friendly Accommodation
      • Hen & Stag Accommodation
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Stay on a Farm
  • What's On
  • Things To Do
    • Activities & Experiences
      • Adventure & Extreme
      • Canoeing, Kayaking & Watersports
      • Climbing
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Food & Drink Experiences
      • Shooting & Archery
      • Golf
      • Nature & Wildlife Experiences
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Walking & Hiking
    • Attractions
      • Beauty Spots & Visitor Sites
      • Castles & Ruins
      • Cinema & Theatre
      • History & Heritage
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Nature & Wildlife
    • Walking
      • 12 Easy Walks
      • Guided Tours
      • The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
      • The Wye Valley Walk
      • Good with the Dog
      • The Offa's Dyke Path
      • Accessible Walks
      • Other Walking Routes & Trails
    • Cycling
      • Cycle Trails
      • Family Cycling
      • Bike Hire
      • Mountain Biking & Downhill
      • Guided Cycling
    • Dog Friendly
    • Family Friendly
      • Young Families
      • With Tweens & Teens
    • Group Friendly
    • Rainy Days
    • Tours & Trails
      • 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
    • Shopping
      • Local Food & Drink
      • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Towns & Villages
      • Online Gift Guide
    • Wellbeing & Spa
    • Weddings
  • Food & Drink
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Cafes & Tea Rooms
    • Dog Friendly Places to Eat
    • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Shops Offering Home Delivery
    • Family Friendly Places to Eat
    • Local Produce
    • Picnic Sites
    • Food & Drink Experiences
    • Private Chefs & Group Catering
    • Pubs
      • Beer Gardens
    • Restaurants
    • Takeaways & Deliveries
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
  • Explore
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Maps & Guides
      • Download Our Visitor Guide
    • Nature & Wildlife
      • Wildlife
      • Boar
      • Birds
      • Deer
      • Flora
      • Bluebells
      • Daffodils
      • Trees
      • Severn Bore
    • History & Heritage
      • Forest of Dean
      • Industrial Revolution
      • Freemining
      • The Wye Tour
      • The Fascinating Facts of the Dean Wye
      • Hidden Heritage
      • Agincourt
      • Myths & Legends
    • Famous People
      • Charles Rolls
      • David and Robert Mushet
      • The Man of Ross
    • Film & TV
      • Films
      • Harry Potter
      • Star Wars
      • King Arthur
      • TV Programmes
      • Doctor Who
      • Merlin
      • Atlantis
      • Sex Education
    • Tourist Information Centres
    • Towns and Villages
      • Forest of Dean
      • Wye Valley
      • Monmouthshire
      • Herefordshire
      • Coleford
      • Newent
      • Cinderford
      • Lydney
      • Usk
      • Ross-on-Wye
  • Inspiration
    • Adventure Breaks
    • Foodie Breaks
      • Abergavenny Excellence
      • Beer and Boutique
      • Newent Retreats
      • Rural Monmouthshire
      • Severn Valley Touring
      • The Heart of the Dean
      • Tintern Treats
      • Wye Valley Perfection
    • Escape the Everyday
      • Escape the Everyday at Home
    • Family Holidays
    • Rainy Day Ideas
    • Dark Skies
    • My Microgap
    • Dog Friendly Holidays
    • Seasons
      • Autumn: Leaf Peeping the Vibrant Colours
      • Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    • Romance
    • Viewpoints & Sights
  • Offers
  • Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
  • Print Logo
  • Stay

    Stay

  • Food & Drink

  • Things To Do

    Things To Do

  • Cymraeg

My Planner

Currently nothing planned yet in your itinerary. Have a browse through the site and begin to add things you're interested in.

List All My Saved Itineraries

Menu
  • Stay
    • Accessible Accommodation
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Camping
    • Caravans, Campervans & Holiday Parks
    • Glamping, Lodges & Cabins
    • Holiday Cottages
    • Hostels & Bunkhouses
    • Hotels
      • Boutique Hotels
    • Pubs & Inns
    • Self-Catering
      • Serviced Apartments
    • Themed Accommodation
      • Accommodation with Hot Tub
      • Accommodation with Swimming Pool
      • Eco Friendly Accommodation
      • Family Friendly Accommodation
      • Group Friendly Accommodation
      • Hen & Stag Accommodation
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Stay on a Farm
  • What's On
  • Things To Do
    • Activities & Experiences
      • Adventure & Extreme
      • Canoeing, Kayaking & Watersports
      • Climbing
      • Cycling & Mountain Biking
      • Food & Drink Experiences
      • Shooting & Archery
      • Golf
      • Nature & Wildlife Experiences
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Walking & Hiking
    • Attractions
      • Beauty Spots & Visitor Sites
      • Castles & Ruins
      • Cinema & Theatre
      • History & Heritage
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Nature & Wildlife
    • Walking
      • 12 Easy Walks
      • Guided Tours
      • The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
      • The Wye Valley Walk
      • Good with the Dog
      • The Offa's Dyke Path
      • Accessible Walks
      • Other Walking Routes & Trails
    • Cycling
      • Cycle Trails
      • Family Cycling
      • Bike Hire
      • Mountain Biking & Downhill
      • Guided Cycling
    • Dog Friendly
    • Family Friendly
      • Young Families
      • With Tweens & Teens
    • Group Friendly
    • Rainy Days
    • Tours & Trails
      • 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
    • Shopping
      • Local Food & Drink
      • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Towns & Villages
      • Online Gift Guide
    • Wellbeing & Spa
    • Weddings
  • Food & Drink
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Cafes & Tea Rooms
    • Dog Friendly Places to Eat
    • Farm Shops & Delis
      • Shops Offering Home Delivery
    • Family Friendly Places to Eat
    • Local Produce
    • Picnic Sites
    • Food & Drink Experiences
    • Private Chefs & Group Catering
    • Pubs
      • Beer Gardens
    • Restaurants
    • Takeaways & Deliveries
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
  • Explore
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Maps & Guides
      • Download Our Visitor Guide
    • Nature & Wildlife
      • Wildlife
      • Boar
      • Birds
      • Deer
      • Flora
      • Bluebells
      • Daffodils
      • Trees
      • Severn Bore
    • History & Heritage
      • Forest of Dean
      • Industrial Revolution
      • Freemining
      • The Wye Tour
      • The Fascinating Facts of the Dean Wye
      • Hidden Heritage
      • Agincourt
      • Myths & Legends
    • Famous People
      • Charles Rolls
      • David and Robert Mushet
      • The Man of Ross
    • Film & TV
      • Films
      • Harry Potter
      • Star Wars
      • King Arthur
      • TV Programmes
      • Doctor Who
      • Merlin
      • Atlantis
      • Sex Education
    • Tourist Information Centres
    • Towns and Villages
      • Forest of Dean
      • Wye Valley
      • Monmouthshire
      • Herefordshire
      • Coleford
      • Newent
      • Cinderford
      • Lydney
      • Usk
      • Ross-on-Wye
  • Inspiration
    • Adventure Breaks
    • Foodie Breaks
      • Abergavenny Excellence
      • Beer and Boutique
      • Newent Retreats
      • Rural Monmouthshire
      • Severn Valley Touring
      • The Heart of the Dean
      • Tintern Treats
      • Wye Valley Perfection
    • Escape the Everyday
      • Escape the Everyday at Home
    • Family Holidays
    • Rainy Day Ideas
    • Dark Skies
    • My Microgap
    • Dog Friendly Holidays
    • Seasons
      • Autumn: Leaf Peeping the Vibrant Colours
      • Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    • Romance
    • Viewpoints & Sights
  • Offers
  1. Bluebells in the Forest of Dean
  2. Autumn - Leaf Peeping Symonds Yat
  3. Winter Walks Icy Wye Valley

You are here: Inspiration > Seasons

Seasons

Some of the seasonal delights of the area include:

The Joys of Spring

Springtime is a favourite season to visit the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, with the brilliant green of the new beech, and the spectacular colours of the bluebells and daffodils. The orchards turn pink and white with apple, pear and plum blossom, and you can smell a hint of blackthorn and elder from the hedges. Along the Severnside and among the Forest villages there are many old orchards with rare and local fruit trees including the Blakeney pear, Blaisdon red plum and Severn bank apple.

Delightful spring flowers in the Forest include wood anemone, celandine, dogs mercury, primrose and violet which bloom before the overhead foliage thickens. Plus of course the carpets of bluebells and wild garlic fill the woods with the scents of spring. We have one of the best displays of bluebells in the UK and April and May are wonderful times to visit and see this glorious sight. See our guide to nature and wildlife including spring flowers here.

The dawn chorus is a springtime joy too, with a huge range of birds singing in a cacophony. Swallows fill the skies, nests are built high in the trees and baby boar (humbugs) as well as deer (fawns) can be seen deep in the woods.

Summer Loving

Summer is when the trees are full of leaves and the area comes to life with colour and vitality. On hot days the forest canopy provides respite from the heat as it is always a few degrees cooler in the woods due to the number of trees. The days are long and you spend your days outside exploring and adventuring, canoe down the Wye, cycle through the forest or light a bbq and watch the sun go down over the hills.

Dark skies in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley are absolutely stunning too. With so much wide open space, deep forest and expansive countryside it's not hard to find a view of the night sky where it is so dark you can see the Milky Way crisp and clear.

Autumn Colours

Autumn is a spectacular time of year in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley when the trees display an array of reds, golds and yellows. Despite the importance of the conifers, almost half the trees in the Forest of Dean are deciduous including oak, beech, sweet chestnut and others. Larch - the only coniferous tree to lose its needles, also turns a magnificent russet-gold in October. This magnificent autumn foliage is the highlight of the season and can often be at its best at the end of October to the beginning of November.

Find out more in our guide to Leaf Peeping including our top ten spots for the best autumn colour and a driving route to see them all.

Winter Wonderland

Winter is the most wonderful time of the year for a woodland walk. The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle and reset with some time in nature. As winter settles over the land, the sight of frosty leaves and crisp sunshine creeping through the canopies might be just what Santa ordered. The woods are peaceful and serene, no crowds, loads of space and an ideal location if you really like some time away from everyday life. The changing forest is still full of life, with mistletoe and holly with its bright red berries in the trees, the birds and wildlife so much more visible and the low sun glowing through the woods. Don't let anyone tell you winter is a boring season, there is so much beauty out there.

See our guide to winter in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley here.

Find Out More:

If you are interested in birdwatching see our seasonal guide to which birds can be seen when in the Dean Wye here. 

Loading..

Find Your Freedom

  1. Spring: Get Back to Nature and the Great Outdoors
    Spring: Get Back to Nature and the Great Outdoors
    Longer and brighter days spent outside in nature... that's what spring is all about. Find your freedom in our ancient forest and wild river valley with our guide to the best things to see and do this spring.
  2. Autumn: Leaf Peeping the Vibrant Colours
    Autumn: Leaf Peeping the Vibrant Colours
    Follow our special Leaf Peeping Drive through sweeping countryside with river views across ancient woodland before delving deeper into 10 hotspots en route to enjoy breathtaking views, riverside walks, lakes and arboretums drenched in autumnal colour.
  3. Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    Winter: Cosy Escapes and Seasonal Delights
    Winter in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is just as beautiful and inspiring as any other time of year. The low light and lack of leaves can create some breathtaking views through the trees and dramatic viewpoints open up even further. History and culture, food and drink, theatre, adrenaline filled activities and more are ready for the taking. So what are you waiting for?

Explore Our Highlights

SRI LANKAN COOKERY at Harts Barn Cookery School
SRI LANKAN COOKERY
Hire a Chef
Hire a Chef
Wye Adventures
Wye Adventures
Oakgrove Holiday Cottage
Oakgrove Cottage
Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre
Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre
The Cottage at Soudley
The Cottage at Soudley
The Manor - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
The Manor - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
Deanwood Holidays
Deanwood Holidays
Royal Forester Evening Dining Train
Royal Forester Evening Dining Train
Thatch Close Cottages - Front of cottages
Thatch Close Cottages
Kate Humble on her farm Humble by Nature
Humble by Nature
WEAVE A WILLOW GARDEN TRUG at Humble by Nature
WEAVE A WILLOW GARDEN TRUG
Big House Holiday Lets
Big House Holiday Lets
Murder Mystery at Dean Forest Railway
Murder Mystery on a Steam Train
Mount Annexe
Mount Annexe
DBC Leisure
DBC Leisure
Wye-Bikes - Bike hire in Coleford
Wye-Bikes
LEARN TO PLANT DYE YARN at Humble by Nature
LEARN TO PLANT DYE YARN
The Stables - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
The Stables - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
Cinderhill Farm
Cinderhill Farm
The Hudnalls Hideout - Luxury Treehouse Glamping, Wye Valley Gloucestershire
The Hudnalls Hideout - Luxury Treehouse Glamping
BUILDING WITH LIME: AN INTRODUCTION at Humble by Nature
BUILDING WITH LIME: AN INTRODUCTION
Foraging at Humble by Nature
WILD FOOD FORAGING
Forest and Feast at Harts Barn Cookery School
Forest and Feast at Harts Barn Cookery School
PrevPrev
  • 1SRI LANKAN COOKERY
  • 2Hire a Chef
  • 3Wye Adventures
  • 4Oakgrove Cottage
  • 5Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre
  • 6The Cottage at Soudley
  • 7The Manor - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
  • 8Deanwood Holidays
  • 9Royal Forester Evening Dining Train
  • 10Thatch Close Cottages
  • 11Humble by Nature
  • 12WEAVE A WILLOW GARDEN TRUG
  • 13Big House Holiday Lets
  • 14Murder Mystery on a Steam Train
  • 15Mount Annexe
  • 16DBC Leisure
  • 17Wye-Bikes
  • 18LEARN TO PLANT DYE YARN
  • 19The Stables - Luxury Holiday Cottage with Hot Tub
  • 20Cinderhill Farm
  • 21The Hudnalls Hideout - Luxury Treehouse Glamping
  • 22BUILDING WITH LIME: AN INTRODUCTION
  • 23WILD FOOD FORAGING
  • 24Forest and Feast at Harts Barn Cookery School
NextNext
E-newsletter Icon
Sign up for our e-newsletter
Be the first to hear about our exciting events, offers, inspiration and competitions by signing up.
MORE INFO
Brochure Icon
Download our brochure
Our 2020/21 visitor guide has everything you need for a visit plus a range of discount vouchers.
MORE INFO
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookies
  • Advertise With Us
  • Membership
  • Cymraeg
  • Video Credits
  • E-newsletter Sign Up
  • Download Our Visitor Guide
  • Member Login

Connect and share your #DeanWye experiences with us @VISITDEANWYE

©Visit Dean Wye 2021. All Rights Reserved.
*Visit Dean Wye is the trading name of Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism Limited.

Made by Simpleview Logo

Don't Miss

  • Know Before You Go

    Know Before You Go

  • Visitor Guide 2020-2021 Cover

    Download Our Visitor Guide