Forest 15 minutes from Exeter named one of the UK's best

Only a 15-minute drive from Exeter and Newton Abbot, Haldon Forest Park, with its 1,500 hectares of woodland and around half a million trees, has been revealed as one of the best forests in the UK right now.

As we venture further into August, Haldon Forest Park, managed by Forestry England, should be high on your list of ways to spend the remainder of the summer holiday weekends.

The list was compiled by the outdoor clothing brand Millets and considered a variety of factors, including the availability of accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, picnic areas, easy trail access, and also whether the sites were dog-friendly. 

In fact, in 2023, the forest park won an award for being one of the top dog-friendly attractions of the year.

Image: Forestry England/Crown Copyright

The report praised its extensive list of fun outdoor activities and its impressive array of rare animal species, including adders, pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies, and European nightjars. 

Haldon Forest Park’s wildlife has made it a large Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). 

Its fascinating geology dates back more than 360 million years, but its modern woodland has been shaped by human intervention through tree management, grazing livestock, mining, and traditional practices such as charcoal making and coppice. 

If you prefer more adventurous activities, the forest offers a Go Ape course, mountain biking routes, and welcomes equestrians to bring their own horses for hacks.

Image: Forestry England/Crown Copyright

There’s also no shortage of children’s entertainment, with the forest currently celebrating the literary Gruffalo’s 25th anniversary with an interactive party trail.

A spokesperson for Millets said: "With plenty of facilities such as baby changing, a café, a play area and a Ranger's office Haldon has everything a family might need when enjoying one of the UK's most stunning forests.

"Haldon also scores high in the inclusivity department, with all-terrain mobility scooters on hand for anyone to hire. Off-road mobility scooters, also known as trampers, can tackle a range of surfaces and gradients in any weather condition with ease making Haldon forest one of the most inclusive forests due to its high levels of accessibility and facilities."

Though a recent report has shown that everyone living in England is within a 60-minute drive of a Forestry England site, Exeter locals ought to take advantage of their especially close proximity to “Forestry England's flagship woodland in the south west” and indulge in this wonderful example of British countryside.