News
A new Enclosure Boundary Stone has been erected in the Speech House Arboretum. The stone celebrates 200 years since the passing of the Dean Forest (Timber) Act. This act enabled extensive re-planting of Oak trees in the Forest of Dean. The stone is inscribed with the name of the Deputy Surveyor Rob Guest.
Our Tour Guide News:
The Ladies of the Rolling Pin
August 4th 2010 - The Ladies of the Rolling Pin from Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, U.S.A. perform at Beechenhurst - facilitated by the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tour Guides.
"A very enjoyable experience made all the more so by our personable, informative guides who also displayed a good sense of humor! We were thrilled to have the opportunity to dance for the other visitors as well - great fun" L A B, Rhode Island, U.S.A.
12 Easy Walks in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
(Monmouthshire Beacon 11/8/2010)
100 of St Briavels Walks
2010 saw the start of our '100 of St Briavels' program, 10 walks of around 10 miles each within the Forest of Dean. Earn 'miles' as you complete each walk and receive a unique badge when you complete 100 miles of walks.
Heritage Open Days 9,10,11,12 Sept. 2010
Our guides offered the following FREE activities in this program:
Bream Village Walk
FW Harvey Yorkley walk
Bixslade Valley walk
Wye Valley A.O.N.B. Walks
The Wye Valley A.O.N.B. organised a programme of walks for 2009. We led some of them:
Goodrich and Coppet Hill
Date: Thursday, December 10 2009
Time: 10:00am- 12:30pm
Leader:A Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Guide.
A challenging walk over Coppet Hill with views stretching to the Malvern Hills and Black Mountains.
Location: Goodrich
Distance: 5 Km/ 3 miles
Booking: Essential
Contact: Wye Valley AONB
English Bicknor to Yat Rock and back
Date: Sunday, November 15 2009
Time: 10:00am- 1:00pm
Leader:A Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Guide.
A walk in part of the parish of English Bicknor including the Lime Kilns at Rosemary Topping and the world famous views from Symonds Yat Rock.
Location: English Bicknor
Distance: 7 Km/ 4.3 miles
Booking: Essential
Contact: Wye Valley AONB
Piercefield
Date: Saturday, November 07 2009
Time: 10:00am- 2:00pm
Leader:A Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Guide.
Picturesque views opened up by the A.N.O.B. 'Overlooking the Wye' project.
Location: Piercefield, near Chepstow.
Distance: 10 Km/ 6 miles
Booking: Essential
Contact: Wye Valley AONB
Beyond Tintern Abbey
Date: Sunday, August 30 2009
Time: 10:00am- 1:00pm
Leader:A Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Guide.
A walk exploring the Angiddy Valley’s
industrial heritage. During the 18th and
19th centuries the waters were harnessed
to drive blast furnaces for the iron industry.
Our guide will bring the era to life, while
we enjoy sublime views of the landscape.
Location: Tintern
Distance: 5 miles
Booking: Essential
Contact: Wye Valley AONB
Whitebrook Mills
Took place on Sunday, May 10 2009
Location: Redbrook
Distance: 6 miles
Comments from walkers, in answer to the question to what did you enjoy most about the Whitebrook Mills walk?:
- "Lots, but the scenery, quality of leadership and the warm spring weather made for a perfect event."
- "Beautiful route, interesting opportunity to visit Mill ruins, v. pleasant company."
- "Having an informative and unfamiliar view of an area I know reasonably well."
- "Please pass on my thanks again to (the guide) who obviously did a lot of research on this walk, super job!",
Forestry Commission recognise 'Big Cats'
There has long been speculation about the presence of 'Big Cats' in the Forest of Dean. Forestry Commission Deputy Surveyor Rob Guest has confirmed two reliable sightings made at night using heat-activated night vision equipment. The sightings were made during deer surveys by Forestry Commission Rangers. (local press January 2009).
Our guides have have yet to see a 'Big Cat' during their walks in the Forest but some guides have spotted wild boar.
Forest of Dean and Wye valley Tour Guides on BBC radio.
Pete Wilson of BBC Radio Gloucestershire
Our guides have featured in two radio programmes made by Pete Wilson for BBC Radio Gloucestershire. The programmes, each 1 hour in length, were broadcast on Sunday 24th of August and Sunday 31st of August 2008.
Echo, Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
The opening of 'Echo' on the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail on Sunday 20th July 2008.
The Sculpture was designed by Annie Cattrell (far right). After many research visits to the Forest, Annie produced the work in Bristol. This resin based sculpture contains aluminium powder to produce just the effect Annie was looking for. It echos the quarry in which it sits. It also echos itself on each side with both 'positive' and 'negative' depictions of the face of the quarry.
Miners Memorial Topograph
The unveiling of the Miners Memorial Topograph at Pan Tod Ruardean Hill on Saturday 31st May 2008.
The Topograph was erected by Ruardean Hill Residents Association. Mark Harper M.P. for the Forest of Dean unvieled the Topograph. The sculpture was designed by Bernard Kear and made by Christine Baxter.
Forest of Dean Geomap at New Fancy view.
The Forest of Dean Geomap was unveiled by Mark Harper M.P. and Deputy Gaveller John Harvey O.B.E. on May 3rd 2008. The Geomap was constructed by sculptor David Yeates at The Stenders, Mitcheldean before being assembled on site. The 900 square feet of rock strata depicted in the Geomap are built from samples of the rock they represent. The work is designed to be walked on. The discs represent the locations of iron and coal mines and quarries. The black lines represent coal seams and the white lines railway routes.
The Geomap is one of the features we visit on our Mallards Pike walk.
We are working on new guided walks and details will appear soon on this web site.
The Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean contains one of the largest areas of woodland in the U.K. Recently Wild Boar have joined the fauna of the Forest.
The Forest was a 'Royal Forest' from the middle ages until 1973 when H.M. The Queen relinquished her claim to the Forest of Dean.
Above is the "Miner's Brass" from Newland 'All Saints' church. This depiction of a 14th century iron miner is the emblem of the Forest of Dean.
The miner is holding up his Mattock. He has his 'Nellie' or candle holder in his mouth and has a 'Hod' on his back. The Hod was used to carry the iron ore.