Best things to do in the Wye Valley & Forest of Dean

The Wye Valley is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK which straddles the border of England and Wales.  Just to the east of the Wye Valley, you’ll find the picturesque Forest of Dean.  This beautiful area of ancient woodland covers the land between the Rivers Wye and Severn.

We stayed in Upper Lyndhurst in the Wye Valley when our holiday plans for Wales were cancelled because of lockdown.  This was the perfect base for exploring the Wye Valley and neighbouring Forest of Dean.  Both offer a stunning natural environment, as well as family attractions that everyone can enjoy.

Read on to find out what we got up to and our best things to do in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean with kids.

High above the River Wye, with views sweeping over the Wye Valley, is the iconic viewpoint, Symonds Yat Rock.  It has the best views around and is one of the places you must visit in the Wye Valley.

You have a choice of five walking trails and one cycling trail at Symonds Yat.  We went early to spot Peregrine Falcons, who regularly come here, but were not in luck.  However, we did enjoy one of the family walking trails, which took us on a circular route through the woodland.

The Forestry Commission manage this beautiful, natural environment, which is another fantastic place to enjoy the great outdoors in the Wye Valley.

The Wye Valley Visitor Centre offers a choice of four family attractions, so is perfect if you’re looking for fun things to do in the Wye Valley.  Choose from an aMazing Hedge Puzzle, mini golf or Laser Tag.  They also have their own butterfly zoo.

You’ll find the Visitor Centre just outside Symonds Yat West.

If you’re looking for family things to do on a rainy day in the Wye Valley, head to the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo.  Here you’ll find a fantastic collection of exotic butterflies at different stages of their life cycle.

The Butterfly Zoo is open from 10am every day.

Ross-on-Wye is a pretty market town on the River Wye.  You can see the iconic spire of St Mary the Virgin Church from miles away.

Have a mooch in the independent shops, visit the Market House or take a walk around Prospect Gardens.  Then stop for lunch at one of the pubs or cafes.

With its ancient trees, gnarly roots and moss-cover rocks, Puzzlewood has a very otherworldly feel.  A forest trail follows for about 1.5 miles over stepping stones and wooden bridges, leading through gorges and under large, twisted trees.  It’s easy to see why this dramatic landscape has been the set for many fantasy films, including Star Wars, Dr Who and Merlin.

As well as the forest trail, Puzzlewood has a small collection of farmyard animals and an inside play area.  Puzzlewood is a popular attraction and certainly one of our top things to do in the Forest of Dean with kids (or without!)

Less than 5 minutes from Puzzlewood are the Clearwell Caves.  This is a natural cave system, which has been extensively mined for over 4,500 years for iron ore.  Today Clearwell Caves is an underground museum offering visitors a trip underground where miners once worked.

Follow through a labyrinth of passageways and caves and imagine what life would have been like for the miners.  You can also learn about the Lesser Horseshoe bats who live in the caverns.  (Don’t worry, we didn’t see any!)

Being underground, Clearwell Caves is one of the best things to do on a rainy day in the Forest of Dean.

Set in 5 acres of beautiful Forest of Dean countryside near Soudley is the Dean Heritage Centre.  The exhibits at the Heritage Centre are displayed in five galleries in a beautiful historic building, overlooking Mill Pond.

Each gallery has exhibits depicting different eras of the Forest of Dean’s past.  Starting as early as pre-historic times, you can learn about the history of the area and the lifestyles of the people who lived and worked there.

As many exhibits are indoors, the Dean Heritage Centre is another of the best attractions to visit on a rainy day in the Forest of Dean.  However, there’s also several outside exhibits, such as a cider mill and Victorian school.

Dean Heritage Centre is in a very picturesque setting and has several trails leading into the woods.  We followed the short Gruffalo trail by the stream.  It has a series of carved sculptures, which tell the story of Julia Donaldson’s popular forest character and friends.

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, the Water Mill Café at the Heritage Centre, serves homemade cakes and food.  Or you could head to the picnic benches overlooking the pond.

Soudley Ponds is a picturesque nature reserve in Cinderford. It comprises of 4 interlinked ponds in the Forest of Dean and is ideal for a family nature walk.

The pathways round the ponds are flat and surfaced, so very accessible.  However, if you want a more challenging walk, take the steep path up to the Blaize Bailey viewpoint.  From here you’ll have far-fetching views over the River Severn.

Either side of the ponds are wooded areas, with tall Douglas Firs.  Little bridges crossing the ponds and tiny streams add to the charm of this stunning landscape.

There’s plenty of ducks and waterfowl, but you need a beady eye if you want to spot a kingfisher.  If you’re lucky, you may also spot deer or wild boar.

Soudley Ponds is directly opposite the Dean Heritage Centre, so it’s a good idea to combine a visit to both.  We parked at the Dean Heritage Centre and walked from there, but other free car parks are also available.

If you prefer cycling to walking the Cannop Cycle Centre is just five minutes from Beechenwood in the Forest of Dean.  From here you have a choice of several cycle trails, all at different levels.  The family cycle trail follows a former railway lines, which we always love, as I don’t like hills!  This route is 9 miles, but is level and accessible to all ages.

Alternatively, you can do a shorter family cycle trail on Hicksters Way Loop at Beechenwood.  For the more adventurous cyclist, you’ll find a choice of off-road cycling routes.

Autumn is a great time to visit the Wye Valley, as the whole area is a mix of russet, gold and amber.  Our forecast was rain.  However, it hardly rained and certainly not enough to stop us exploring.

Obviously, we didn’t have time to visit all the best things to do in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean.  Next time, we hope to try some more of the adventure activities.  Canoeing on the River Wye has got to be top of our list.  Or maybe the assault course at the Forest of Dean Adventure?

The kids were also keen to visit the international Birds of Prey Centre.  And I am sure we’d all be happy to return to Puzzlewood!

The Wye Valley is an easy drive from London via the M40 or M4 or from the North via the M5.

If you are coming by train, you can get from London to Ross-on-Wye in about 3 hours.

Below is a map of the best places to visit in the Wye Valley with kids.

You can save the map to use when you are there by clicking the star to the right of the title.

You can later find the map by going to your Google Maps app and selecting the saved icon.

The Wye Valley has a great choice of self-catering accommodation and hotels.  We stayed in a cottage in Upper Lydbrook, which was a great base for visiting the Wye Valley.

You’ll find a great choice of holiday homes, hotels apartments, and guest houses on Booking.com.

What are your best things to do in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean?  We’d love to hear from you in the comments box below:-

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