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The Forest of Dean isn’t your typical tourist destination . . . thank heaven!!

By Marilyn Loeser

Heading west from Gloucester, England, travelers find themselves in an ancient land, mostly undiscovered by tourists like the area just east of Gloucester — the Cotswolds.

Situated between the rivers Severn and Wye in the county of Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean offers historic attractions, breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and a glimpse of centuries of history in this enchanted land.

To better understand the area’s history, industry and culture, a great place to begin your exploration is the Dean Heritage Centre, located near Cinderford.

Housed in a former corn mill, modern and imaginative galleries tell the story of the forest and its people, from pre-history to present day.

Beginning at the beginning, the museum offers fossil exhibitions, the ancient remains of mammoths and rhinoceros, and the importance of iron, stone and coal in the region.

It was in this forest Norman Kings hunted wild boar and deer, followed by industrial expansion, and, most interestingly to me, the study of ordinary citizens making their lives in the forest, caring for their families and earning a wage.

From expansive indoor exhibits, the tour continues outdoors where a Victorian house is warmed with a wood fire and farm animals delight children.

The Forest’s Industrial History

Past the millpond and waterwheel, paths invite guests to explore the Soudley Valley. It is here, beneath the trees and underbrush, that a wealth of mineral resources exist — iron ore, coal and stone — which man has sought in the region for thousands of years. 

During the Roman occupation of Britain, the Forest of Dean was a major industrial region, with iron ore mining and iron implement manufacturing.

In medieval times it was a royal hunting forest. When the Normans arrived in the 11th century, Forest Laws were introduced which protected game for the pleasure and profit of the monarchy. In the 13th century this policy became a direct conflict with the expanding iron industry and all it brought to the region. 

Thousands of trees were harvested to make charcoal to fuel manufacturing furnaces and forges in the area. With the advent of the charcoal blast furnace, which first arrived to the area at the end of the 16th century, so many trees were needed to fuel the furnaces that it began to have a profoundly negative effect on the woodlands.

At the same time, oak was being harvested to furnish ships for the Royal Navy.  The forest was seen as a vast storehouse for naval timber.

It wasn’t until the 19th century and the advent of coke fired blast furnaces that the shift changed from timber to coal. For almost 200 years, coal mining was the dominant industry in the Forest of Dean, employing thousands of people.

The last large scale mine closed in 1965. Now there are only a handful of small mines extracting coal from the hills.

Visiting the Forest

The industrial scars have healed and what you’ll find is the forest’s natural beauty, its wildlife and quiet villages. Although controlled harvesting of wood is still conducted, it’s the blossoming tourist industry that’s replaced the belching furnaces and massive mining operations.

Many attractions are central to the theme of the region’s natural beauty: hiking trails, cave exploration, river cruises, hot air balloon flights, and horseback and bike riding.

Another great way to see the Forest of Dean is by train. BritRail, my favorite way to see the UK, is your ticket — literally — to seeing this pristine area of England without renting a car or reading a map.

The train follows the River Severn from Gloucester to Chepstow and on into Wales.

Along the way, you can get off the train in Lydney, a city that’s existed since Roman times. 

It was here many of the ships to oppose the Spanish Armada were built from the Forest of Dean's oak trees. Now a busy industrial center, guests will find the beauty of Bathurst Park and Primrose Hill Recreation Grounds.

Those of us who love to shop will find a large variety of shops, the majority in the Newerne Street area.

If you go:
Several websites will get you started on planning a trip to the Forest of Dean.

An excellent website is http://www.fweb.org.uk/dean/ . For more information on the heritage center, check the website http://www.deanheritagemuseum.com/index.html.

The BritRail website http://www.britrail.com/index.html highlights maps and special price-saving passes. You can also call 1-866-BRITRAIL. Passes are the most convenient — one ticket is good on more than 18,000 daily train departures in England, Scotland and Wales — and economical because they can be purchased for different increments of time.

The Forest of Dean is a beautiful, natural destination. With its peaceful and calming character, you’ll be able to relax and get to know a little more about England as well.

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