Thrill seekers can get their adrenaline and hearts pumping with the wild experiences on offer in the Forest of Dean. The new Get Out, Get Active itinerary, curated by Visit Dean Wye as part of its Find Your Freedom campaign, is packed full of exhilarating pursuits.
Explore mile after mile of outstanding cycle trails through glorious woodland by hiring an e-bike, mountain, gravel or road bike, from Dean Forest Cycles in Parkend.
Full tuition and safety equipment is provided and there’s a café and ice cream shack to refuel afterwards. For more adventurous bikers, try the Verderers’ Trail, recently voted the best blue trail in England by Mountain Biking UK.
See the Forest of Dean from new heights by joining a high ropes adventure challenge. A qualified instructor will quickly have you swinging, climbing, leaping and flying around a tree-top course during a two-hour fun-fest run by Go Ape, and there’s even a course for Mini Tarzans at the Tree Top Junior site located at Beechenhurt Lodge. After all that excitement, stop off at the Beechenhurst Café for refreshments.
For a white knuckle off-road experience, head for Whitecliff 4x4 for a full or half day behind the wheel of a Land Rover at its adventure site, a mile from the centre of Coleford. Speed across flat slippery surfaces, plough through mud and water and traverse moderate and steep inclines and declines for a thrilling day out. There are also professional learning experiences to equip you with skills to tackle obstacles that you’d never think possible. Owner-drivers are catered for, as are junior enthusiasts, and it’s possible to ride as a passenger, too.
Sharp shooting fun is on offer with laser clay pigeon shooting near Cinderford. This high tech activity is designed to go off with an environmentally-friendly bang and it’s 100% safe. The one-and-a-half-hour sessions are provided by Dean Laser Clay at Elton Farm, and there’s tailored sessions available for juniors. Afterwards there are several nearby cafes and pubs for refreshments, or why not visit a local deli and pack a picnic to enjoy on the picturesque banks of the River Severn at Newnham-on-Severn.
Outdoor Laser Tag provided by BattleSports Glos is an immersive and safe real-life combat activity using the latest technology that will have you diving for cover, hiding out in woodland and capturing enemy bases. The purpose-built outdoor battlefield is perfect for gamers looking for off-screen action. Pack a picnic from a local farm shop or deli to eat on site while enjoying panoramic views of the River Severn.
Golfers can improve skills using high-tech Toptracer equipment at Forest Driving Range, which caters for all the family that is also perfect for wet weather days. Afterwards, stop off at The Butchers Arms in Clearwell, one of the oldest pubs in the Forest of Dean, which serves a hearty menu of British favourites, from fish and chips to locally sourced steak, plus a kids menu if little ones are in tow.
Whether you’re looking to scale heady heights, battle it out in an immersive real-life combat experience or challenge yourself with off road forest driving, get out and get active in the glorious Forest of Dean.