Bedgebury Forest

Bedgebury Forest covers 10.5 square kilometres of woodland near Flimwell in Kent. It surrounds the Bedgebury National Pinetum, which contains only coniferous trees, while the forest itself mixes deciduous and coniferous species. The forest lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Weald’. It offers facilities for cycling, mountain biking, riding, orienteering and adventure play. The forest has been wooded since at least AD 841, when it was first mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter. The forest sits on a high plateau of clay and sandstone among the rolling hills of the Wealden Group. Poor, acidic soil has kept the woodland intact, as richer land nearby was cleared for farming long ago. Streams in the forest show traces of old dams that once stored water for the Wealden iron industry and later for ornamental lakes. The forest lies within the catchment areas of the rivers Medway and Rother. Heather grows in parts, suggesting areas were managed as wooded heath in the past. Visitors find 13 kilometres of surfaced cycle tracks and 13 kilometres of single-track mountain-bike routes, plus a free-ride area for jumps and stunts. The Visitor Centre hires out cycles. There are four orienteering routes, the longest measuring 2.7 kilometres, with maps available at the centre. A charity 10-kilometre run takes place each year. Dedicated horse-riding trails link to bridlepaths across the forest. An adventure play area includes trails, swings and climbing walls, and a Go Ape course was added in 2007.