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    This is Durham Blog

You are here > Home > Things to Do > Hamsterley Forest

Hamsterley Forest

Forestry England
Redford
Hamsterley Forest
County Durham
DL13 3NL

Tel: +44 01388 488312

Email

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Add Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

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  • Hamsterley Forest

About

**Our forests, car parks and essential facilities are open to you for local outdoor exercise once per day.  However the government has instructed that you should minimise time spent outside your home,  minimise the number of journeys you make and only travel a short distance within your  local area to exercise**

2000 hectares of mixed scenic woodland lying between the Wear and Tees valleys on the edge of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Hamsterley is a delightful oasis of broadleaved and coniferous woodland, sprawling along the sides of a sheltered valley. Visitors to Hamsterley have no shortage of options when it comes to activities. With waymarked walks*,  cycle routes* and horse riding trails*, all levels of fitness and ability are catered for. 

**free maps of all our trails are available from either the cafe or information point. You can also find free downloadable maps from our website   www.forestry.gov.uk/hamsterleyforest

There is also a forest play park which is open all year round with a new area of Viking Themed play equipment aimed at the kids, as well as a Gruffalo Spotters trail . A Discovery Pass is available to buy which gives free parking all year round plus other benefits for only £49.00 per annum.

Horse Riding is welcomed in the forest and some quieter routes away from the main recreational hub can be found. 

Hamsterley Forest is a big magnet for mountain bikers with a number of fantastic sections of exhilarating single track.  Families are also well catered for with a multi-user trail along the tranquil Bedburn Beck with exciting play areas to keep the children active and occupied for hours! Relax at the end of your visit with some homemade cake at the Hamsterley Cafe and Ice Cream Kiosk.

For the extreme end of mountain biking Danny Harts Descend Hamsterley has a number of orange graded downhill trails. Go to the latest info on the only North of England Downhil Centre at https://www.descendbikepark.com/

Please note, we have no (or very limited) phone coverage anywhere in the forest  

Book Tickets

Guide Prices

Forest Drive Toll Per Car £6 (£10 Bank Holidays from Easter to 31 August). £12 per mini bus. £18 per coach. Annual Discovery Pass available £49

We now have a new pay on exit system in place. Number plate cameras will record your entry, just input your car registration at a pay station just before you leave and pay. All our pay stations accept card payment ONLY (except the one next to the Café which takes both cash and cards)

Gradings

  • VAQAS VB Attraction
VAQAS VB Attraction

Awards

  • Visit EnglandVAQAS VAQAS 2019
  • Visit EnglandQuality Assured Visitor Attraction Quality Assured Visitor Attraction 2017
  • Regional and MiscellaneousTripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2016

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

4 of 5 stars
387 reviews
    • Excellent
      209
    • Very Good
      116
    • Average
      27
    • Poor
      14
    • Terrible
      21

    Recent Reviews:

    • jerrysH7073KZ
      Sunderland, United Kingdom
      Trip Type:
      Solo travel
      Rip off parking fees
      1 of 5 stars
      Friday, 30th October 2020
      Drove to Hamsterley forest yesterday to take a walk around one of the circular routes (14 km). This would have taken me about 4 hours. The parking fee would have been £6.00. Total rip off. Read full review
    • Keeganmcquillian
      Trip Type:
      Solo travel
      Annoyed with parking system and cost
      1 of 5 stars
      Tuesday, 3rd November 2020
      I went today for the 1st time in 4 years, I won't be going back again with how expensive parking is 😡 I was only there 1hrs 40 minutes, so was expecting it to cost me £2 but It cost me £6. Its a... Read full review
    • kimandamber
      Skelton, United Kingdom
      Trip Type:
      Couples
      How can people moan about parking ?
      5 of 5 stars
      Saturday, 5th December 2020
      We have been a couple of times on mountain bikes. Can’t wait to return. We didn’t have to pay for parking but I would pay £6 every day of the week to be able to ride through this beautiful forest... Read full review
    Write a review
    © TripAdvisor 2021

    Facilities

    Accessibility

    • Access Statement - Please see below

    Parking & Transport

    • Parking (charge) - £6 to park all day, £10 on all bank holiday weekends from Easter to August inclusive

    Provider Facilities

    • Dogs Accepted - also allowed in cafe. (stick & flick policy on dog waste)

    Access Information

    Visit External Site

    Opening Times

    2021 (1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021)
    facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HamsterleyForest/?ref=bookmarks

    Map & Directions

    Map Link

    View Map

    Road Directions

    Nearest major road is A68. Follow brown 'Hamsterley Forest' signs from A68 north of Bishop Auckland.

    Public Transport Directions

    Unfortunately, there is no public transport available to the forest

    Highlights...

    Cycling at Hamsterley Forest Hamsterley Forest Orange Walk, Hamsterley ForestA route around the Bedburn valley giving elevated views over the forest and showing varied habitats of mixed woodland.

    Family bushcrafts Cycling at Hamsterley Forest, Hamsterley ForestHamsterley Forest is one of the Northeast’s premier mountain bike destinations, with over 2000 hectares of forest to explore on 33 miles of waymarked trails and countless more miles of seldom travelled forest road Hamsterley Forest has something for cyclists of all-abilities.

    Walking at Hamsterley ForestWalking at Hamsterley Forest, Hamsterley ForestWhen you walk around Hamsterley Forest you are walking through a former agricultural and shooting estate. Three walks start from the notice board in the Bedburn car park opposite the cycle hire and two further walks start along the valley from Grove and Blackling Hole car parks.

    Hamsterley ForestHorse Riding at Hamsterley Forest, Hamsterley ForestEnjoy miles of waymarked horse-riding routes that let you explore the heart of this beautiful forest. Please note, dedicated horse box parking is located in the Grove car park, 2 miles along the Forest Drive from the Bedburn entrance.

    Further Information

    • Gruffalo Spotter App

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