Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail and Creepy Woodland - travel included

January's wintry weather gives a magical mood to some already mythical or otherworldly landscapes and we will visit the best ones over the month.

FOREST OF DEAN' CREEPY WOODLANDS

Some sections of the Forest of Dean are so darn atmospheric that it’s thought to have inspired some of literature’s most famous elves, wizards and hobbits.

Both JR Tolkein and JK Rowling have visited – in fact, the Lord of the Rings author was quite obsessed with the place.

This ancient woodland in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean certainly has a Middle-Earth vibe, with weird rock formations, caves and ancient trees a-plenty.

This secret section was recently used as a filming location in ‘Star Wars: A Force Awakens’.

SCULPTURE TRAIL

Established in 1986, this 4.5-mile long Sculpture Trail was one of the first to open in the UK. The Trail features sculptures created by artists to interpret the Forest environment and the history of this very unusual landscape. It provides a unique opportunity to walk through the woodlands and discover art along the way. Perfect for all ages and abilities, you don't need to know about art to enjoy what you see.

Highlights on the trail include Cathedral, a 15ft high stained glass window suspended from the tree canopy enabling visitors to walk underneath, and Iron Road, twenty sleepers on a former railway line carved with images of the Forest.

FEE

£56

INCLUDES

- Round minibus trip from London

- Guided hike

WHAT TO BRING

Waterproof jacket

Warm clothes

Hiking shoes or good trainers

Bottle of water

Torch as it gets dark early

LUNCH

We will have options to buy fast food or sandwiches during the trip, but you may opt to bring a packed lunch

TRAVEL

Travel by hired coach

We will make 2 service station stops each way

MEETING POINT

Black's Rd

Hammersmith

London W6 9EU

COMMUNICATION

A WhatsApp group will be set up a few days before the trip where the final details will be given to you. Keep checking your messages on Meetup for the link to the group

ATTENTION:

1 - It is your responsibility to ensure you check messages on this event and private messages sent to you before the trip starts and up to the morning of the trip.

On occasions, meeting location, time and other details might have to be changed and the event could also be cancelled last minute in case of extreme weather or other unexpected events.

2 - As with any road trip, there is a chance of heavy traffic, accidents and break-downs which could force us to skip parts of the trip, or stop it completely. We will do our best to make your day better, and of course to avoid any of these, but we expect your understanding on these occasions.

We will make a full refund if the trip is cancelled. No refunds will be made if only part of the trip was skipped but a credit might be offered.