Full information about the following parks and attractions can be found in the November 2004 issue of Practical Caravan. For back issues telephone 08456 777812. Admission Price and Opening Times were correct at the time of publishing. Please check for latest information before visiting.

Where to go: BEDGEBURY PINETUM

Address Goudhurst, Kent TN17 2SL
Website Click Here
Opening times March-Oct 10am-5pm. Nov-Mar 10am-4pm. Closed Mondays except bank holidays
 • Bedgebury is Britain's national pinetum, and it is managed by the Forestry Commission. It features the world's largest collection of temperate conifers on one site, including 91 rare or endangered species.

Where to stay: BROADHEMBURY HOLIDAY PARK

Address Steeds Lane, Kingsworth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NQ
Website Click Here
Open All year

Where to go: FOREST OF DEAN

Address Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire
Contact Ross-on-Wye Tourist Information Office
Tel 01989 562768
 • The Royal Forest of Dean became Britain's first National Forest Park in 1938, yet it is steeped in history, from ancient megalithic sites to the Industrial Revolution. It was Admiral Lord Nelson who advised Parliament to replant the forest's oak trees, in order to ensure a steady supply of timber for the nation's warships.

Where to stay: RED LION RIVERSIDE INN CAMP

Address Wainlode Hill, Norton, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 9LW
Tel 01452 730251
Open All Year

Where to go: GLENMORE FOREST PARK

Address Aviemore, Inverness-shire, Scotland
Website Click Here
 • This forest park is set amid the glen that has formed the clan land of the Grants since the 12th century. Situated at the foot of the Cairngorms, Glenmore offers many family attractions: woodland walks and trails, cycle routes, a visitor centre with an exhibition and shop, cross-country skiing, orienteering and birdwatching.

Where to stay: HIGH RANGE

Address Grampian Road, Aviemore, Inverness-shire PH22 1PT
Website Click Here
Open December-October

Where to go: GWYDYR FOREST

Address Conwy, North Wales
Contact Betws-y-Coed Tourist Information Office
Tel 01690 792615
 • Combine a forest trip with some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Britain. Gwydyr is a stone's throw from the town of Betws-y-Coed and stretches far across the hills to the east of Snowdonia. The superb Forestry Commission woodland behind Llanwrst acts as the gateway to an upland forest interspersed with glades, mountain streams and hill pastures accessed by ancient miners' paths, cycle trails and long-established forest walks.

Where to stay: BEDDGELERT FOREST CARAVAN AND CAMPING SITE

Address Caernarfon Road, Beddgelert, Gwynedd LL55 4UU
Website Click Here
Open 1January-2 November

Where to go: KIELDER FOREST

Address Northumberland
Website Click Here
 • The man-made forest forest of Kielder is a huge source of timber. It is also one of Britain's biggest nature reserves, populated by red squirrels, roe deer, otters and rare birds. At its heart lies Kielder Water, the largest artificial lake in Europe. The forest and lake are on the Scottish border, within striking distance of the Northumberland National Park and Hadrian's Wall.

Where to stay: KIELDER WATER CARAVAN CLUB SITE

Address Falstone, Hexham, Northumberland NE48 1AX
Website Click Here
Open 26 March-29 October

Where to go: NEW FOREST

Contact Winchester Tourist Information Office
Tel 01962 840500
Website Click Here
 • The New Forest covers 145 square miles and is the oldest of England's great man-made woodlands. It was created by William the Conqueror in 1079 as a hunting area, mainly for deer, and has more recently become a National Park. A nationally important environment of woodland pasture, heaths and bogs, it is still grazed by New Forest ponies, cattle and pigs under ancient commoners' rights.

Where to stay: HARROW WOOD FARM

Address Poplar Lane, Bransgore, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 8JE
Website Click Here
Open 1 March-6 January

Where to go: NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS

Contact Whitby Tourist Information Office
Tel 01947 602674
Website Click Here
 • This national park, famous as the setting for BBC police drama Heartbeat, has some of the finest upland forest trails in England. Dalby Forest is situated on the southern slopes of the park and is divided by a series of valleys formed in the Ice Age.

Where to stay: JASMINE PARK

Address Cross Lane, Snainton, Yorkshire YO13 9BE Website Click Here
Open 1 March-31 December

Where to go: SAVERNAKE FOREST

Address Near Marlborough, Wiltshire
Website: Click Here
 • Savernake was once a hunting ground for Norman kings. The forest and its two offshoots, West Woods and Collingbourne, are home to some of the most ancient broadleaf trees in Europe, including the Big Belly Oak, which is more than 1100 years old. There are many other 'character' trees in the woods, including the Spiral Oak, the Cathedral Oak, the Queen's Oak and the King of Limbs.

Where to stay: DEVIZES CAMPING AND CARAVANNING CLUB SITE

Address Spout Lane, Near Seend, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 6RN
Website Click Here
Open All Year

Where to go: THETFORD FOREST PARK

Location Thetford, Norfolk
Web Click Here
 • Sprawling across the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk lies the biggest lowland pine forest in Britain, set within a patchwork of heathland and broadleaf woods. Created 80 years ago to satisfy a shortage of timber, it is now one of the region's biggest attractions.

Where to stay: LITTLE LAKELAND CARAVAN PARK

Address Wortwell, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 0EL
Website Click Here
Open 15 March-31 October

Where to go: WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM

Address Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8QS
Website Click Here
 • Westonbirt National Arboretum, is renowned worldwide both for its tree and shrub collection and beautifully landscaped grounds, which contains more than 18,000 specimens covering 600 acres. Originally created as the private tree collection of Captain Robert Holford, the arboretum, a Grade 1 listed landscape, is now managed by the Forestry Commission

Where to stay: COTSWOLD HOBURNE

Address Broadway Lane, South Cerney, Cirencester GL7 5UQ
Website Click Here
Open February-November

Full information about the above parks and attractions can be found in the November 2004 issue of Practical Caravan. For back issues telephone 08456 777812. Admission Price and Opening Times were correct at the time of publishing. Please check for latest information before visiting.