At one time, the vast majority of the UK was covered by forest, the extent only restricted by altitude or waterlogged land. In 2018 the Forestry commission stated that woodland in the UK takes up about 3.17 million hectares of land. This equates to 13% of the total land area in the UK (10% in England, 15% in Wales, 19% in Scotland and 8% in Northern Ireland). Woodland and forested areas are an important part of our landscape and are places where many people enjoy recreation. If you’ve been longing to get out for a woodland walk now that spring and summer are on the way, we thought we’d give you the low down on four of the best UK forests to discover today.
England – Kielder Forest, Northumberland
This is the largest man-made forest in England. The trees were planted by the Forestry Commission and include lots of evergreen varieties such as Sitka Spruce and Norway Spruce. A big draw for tourists is the vast man-made lake, which boasts a whopping 27 miles of trail for walkers and cyclists.
Wales – Coed y Brenin, Snowdonia
The literal translation is the King’s Wood and it has this name for good reason. This stunning woodland area in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park occupies a good 9,000 hectares. Why not make a visit and enjoy mountain biking on some of its trails, or enjoy a walk with the dogs in this beautiful landscape?
Northern Ireland – Tollymore Forest Park
This idyllic spot sits along the Shimna River and at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. There is a wide range of tree species to look at including some of the oldest trees in Ireland. The perfect destination for fans of “Game of Thrones.
Scotland – Galloway Forest Park
Covering an incredible 770km2 of land, this is one of the largest forests in the UK. It’s also the perfect spot to do a bit of stargazing with one of the darkest skies in Europe.
What’s your favourite woodland in the UK? We’d love to see pictures of your adventures. Why not share them with us on our Facebook page @travalluk or via Twitter @Travall_UK?
