forest of dean sculpture trail

308patrician

Nice place to take a walk through and spent a 2 hour walk through the forest with our dog which was rather scenic and pleasant however, the sculptures were not our cup of tea or what I was expecting. They were to my eyes not that impressive and I was hoping for more natural wood sculptures. They were at times difficult to find so missed a few and they also lacked detail about them such as their artist and the inspiration for them (this information can be found in a map you can purchase at the shop) I think rather then having to pay for the information it would be nice to be given it at the site of the sculpture. Finding our way around the trail was not a problem and other then a few moments of where are the markers gone it was generally rather easy to navigate through.

JohnnyBGoodetonight

This is a walk of around 4 miles and best started at the rear of Beechenhurst Lodge near the Speech House Coleford (GL167EG). A map can be obtained from the Lodge which will help with route finding and also will explain the sculptures on route. Parking is available at Beechenhurst Lodge and costs £3.50 for the day. Once this fee has been paid you can park in any of the other parking grounds within the Forest. The trail can also be followed by finding the posts with a blue ring on them.This trail features a variety of sculptures created by local artists to interpret the Forest Environment and the history of this lovely landscape. It provides the opportunity to walk through woodlands and discover art along the way and is suitable for all ages if reasonably mobile. Some of the original sculptures are missing and have been removed for safety reasons. This is a lovely trail and can be enjoyed all through the year and is just one of many trails that can be followed in this delightful part of Gloucestershire. Enjoy!!

147jasong

have a really good time in the woods, seeing the Sculpture Trail, plus the big lake on the woorgreens nature reserve.very frosty but good to see the deer in the woods as well.

588estherw

Even on a cold, foggy day in November, the walk was absolutely beautiful! It was well sign posted so very easy to follow and we managed to do the entire walk in a couple of hours as it wasn't very challenging at all. The stained glass sculpture towards the end is absolutely stunning and definitely a must see! Would highly recommend!

Epaz8th

Enjoyed the walk, saw 6-7 wild dear grazing by one of the sculptures, but missed a part of the trail as we relied on the blue signs. Worth buying a map, but did get to see the stained glass which was amazing.

Meadmaestro

Several long trails here, we only tried the sculpture one, & only part of it. Lovely walk, though a bit difficult to locate some of the sculptures. Later discovered a map in the shop! Would definitely like to return to investigate further. Good for dogs to run free.

agnesw597

Make sure you are wearing walking boots (or similar). Don't forget to take your camera. Choc would be a goof idea too

DunkieB

Nice walk around the forest dry and lots of trails, the sculpture trail was a bit disappointing. Did not find all the stained glass features but pleasant .

522guyw

Seriously, it's a lovely forest walk, mature oaks, bluebells in early summer, colours in Autumn, mud after rains and possibly wild boar or deer sightings anytime, infused with some quite random pieces of art. Someone else may have a totally different response and / or experiences to you there, so I'd recommend just going for it. Enjoy it - my family just about always do apart from when they're fighting among themselves

Lamabads

Every walk in the forest of Dean is an adventure, an activity we particularly like undertaking with our grandchildren. They seem to enjoy it every time even though they are frequent visitors. The sculpture Trail while a little tired now and missing some bits is still enormous fun.

worldinanutshelluk

My partner and I visited back in February and had a fantastic time. The more out of season the better, as the trail was fairly quiet and peaceful and we loved stumbling across the sculptures at our own pace, it felt almost magical. As long as the weather's dry visit it whatever the month.

HarryPuddle

I would have liked to rate this attraction as good, it's better than average but based on this visit not worth the very good rating.We completed half of this walk earlier in the year and came back to complete it. It is a wonderful idea but could be better. We bought the guide this time but still didn't find all the sculptures, one had been decommissioned and a couple we just couldn't find despite a lot of searching, not sure if we missed them or they had also been removed. The chair and the stained glass window are undoubtedly the most impressive, the others ranged from very good to a bit underwhelming. The paths could be better signposted, especially if you don’t want to do a whole trail.It makes a great walk though the forest with a very muddy dog however, with some added interest.It was not picnic weather when we went but you could easily spend the whole day there in the summer so the parking charge is worth it. Maybe they could reduce it a bit in the winter though.If they keep it interesting and fresh, by adding more sculptures, we would definitley visit again.

CaroleinStaunton

Parking is plentiful (there's a charge) and it is worth pausing at the visitor centre to pick up a diagrammatic map which identifies the sculptures and their locations, before you set off. There is a choice of well marked trails of varying lengths and difficulty. I love these walks but to be honest we should have chosen a shorter one as I am disabled and found the long route harder than the last time we did it. The sculptures are great, using different materials and making the most of the forest environment. If you don't take a picnic there is somewhere to buy snacks but I have never used it. The sculpture trail can be a relaxing stroll or an energising walk and enjoyable at any time of year. Of course, autumn colours are especially good.

Blackgate1

I went here a long time ago and it was absolutely stunning. The stain glass window had to be my absolute favorite part, and the rest of the art was like a surprise at every turn. the most sneaky art exhibit has to be the welcome signposts hidden in the trees.. Amazing place

Frank197537

We had 2 hours to spare so went to beechenhurst to complete one of the trails. It was well signposted, had a play area that the children loved and the small trail we did was made the more exciting by the gruffalo pictures - our 4 year old loves it. Good place for a wander.