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Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre

(Average user rating5 unrated 4.1/5)
 

The Visitor Centre houses displays on forest wildlife and management. There is also a small gift shop, tea room and playpark. It is also the starting point of the scenic four mile forest drive that runs through the heart of the forest giving access to the numerous picnic sites along the way. A Discovery Pass is available to buy which gives free parking all year plus other benfits.

Wood n Wheels bike hire is open Friday-Sunday inclusive.

How to get there:

Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre is in Hamsterley.
Turn right in Hamsterley village following the brown tourist signs, turn left in hamlet of Bedburn to enter the forest and access the forest drive and car parks. The charge is GBP 3 per car (GBP 5 on bank holiday weekends), GBP 8 minibus and GBP 12 coach.
Hamsterley, Witton-le Wear, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, and Durham are the nearest towns or villages.
OS Grid Reference: NZ091312
For details of public transport visit http://www.transportdirect.info
Postcode DL13 3NL (for satnav purposes)

What's on in Hamsterley

May

  • Trailbuilding Session
    Saturday 18 February 2012
    Saturday 17 March 2012
    Saturday 14 April 2012
    Saturday 19 May 2012
    Saturday 16 June 2012
    Saturday 14 July 2012
    Saturday 18 August 2012
    Saturday 15 September 2012
    Saturday 20 October 2012
    Saturday 17 November 2012
    Saturday 15 December 2012
  • Foraging and Wild Cooking
    Sunday 20 May 2012
    Sunday 19 August 2012

June

  • Monthly Club Ride
    Sunday 12 February 2012
    Sunday 11 March 2012
    Sunday 8 April 2012
    Sunday 10 June 2012
    Sunday 8 July 2012
    Sunday 12 August 2012
    Sunday 14 October 2012
    Sunday 11 November 2012
    Sunday 9 December 2012
    Sunday 13 May 2012
  • Trailbuilding Session
    Saturday 18 February 2012
    Saturday 17 March 2012
    Saturday 14 April 2012
    Saturday 19 May 2012
    Saturday 16 June 2012
    Saturday 14 July 2012
    Saturday 18 August 2012
    Saturday 15 September 2012
    Saturday 20 October 2012
    Saturday 17 November 2012
    Saturday 15 December 2012
  • Family Bushcrafts
    Monday 9 April 2012
    Sunday 17 June 2012
    Sunday 19 August 2012
  • An introduction to willow weaving
    Sunday 24 June 2012

July

View all events

User Comments

5 Stars 5 Stars

Awesome is all i can say, i went there today for the first time. I started from the visitors centre at about 5am, and rode the black (the bottom half i think, then i think i switched to the red, not sure) it felt like i had the whole forest to myself (i had told someone i was riding there) which added to the experience. I will ride it with others next time as its nice to be pushed a bit. compared with Llandegla or Cannock, this place feels more natural and far more technical. I only scratched the surface, and i feel like i missed the parts i wanted to ride, so will be going back for a whole day to explore very soon. From first impression it seems like it has something for everyone. Awesome views as well. Cant wait to get back there, just a bummer about the five hour drive :-)

Fatlad, 4/May/2012

I have lived in Hamsterley all my life and currently writing and illustrating a book about the wildlife in hamsterley forest for children, if anyone would be interested in buying or providing info please email Faye.bainbridge@live.co.uk

Faye Bainbridge (Hamsterley Art), 4/Mar/2012

I am enquiring as to whether or not the forest has educational officers who can work with groups of school children. Thank you

Anne Dockray, 27/Jan/2012
More user comments

Please tell us about your visit

Please email us at neil.taylor@forestry.gsi.gov.uk if you have an enquiry or would like a reply to your comments.

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Hamsterley forest shop

Facilities and Activities

ToiletsInformationParkingEasy AccessVisitor CentreRefreshmentsForest ShopOther Facilities
WalkingCyclingHorse RidingForest DriveEducationalOrienteeringOther ActivitiesArboretumPlay Area
Visitor Centre

A wide range of gifts and souvenirs are on sale in the shop including pottery, woodware and novelty items.

Refreshments

Small tea room providing quality home cooked meals,cakes and preserves. Able to cater for large groups and birthday parties on request.

Other Facilities

Close by is the adventure play area which is accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs. The centre is the starting point for most of the forest trails, including three walks and three cycle routes.

Walking
Yellow Walk (Bedburn)
Orange Walk (Bedburn)
Whisky Gill Walk
Spurlswood Valley Walk
Riverside Footpath (Bedburn)
Cycling
Blue Cycle Trail
Red Cycle Trail
'The Loop' MTB skills area
Grove Link Cycle Trail
Black Cycle Trail
HorseRiding.gif
Blue Horse Route
Brown Route (Horse)
ForestDrive.gif
Toll Road
Hamsterley Forest Drive
Educational
The ranger service is available to take guided educational visits for all levels and ages. Contact the visitor centre for details.
Orienteering
Permanent orienteering course with 28 control points available for educational use via a booking system. Maps are on sale in the shop priced at £1-25.
Other Activities
Four cycle routes catering for different ability levels, from short family trails to a severe black route for the experienced cyclist. A 20 mile trailquest course takes in the whole forest allowing keen cyclists to test their map reading skills. There is a new Down-hill mountain bike course run by local riders and the site manager with an annual membership required to use the site.

Contact:

Neil Taylor
Ranger
01388 488312
e-mail: neil.taylor@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Enjoy England

What's of interest

Hamsterley visitor centre and Tearoom are open daily, 10am-5pm. The forest drive and car parks are open as normal.Parking and Forest Drive access is £3 per car (£5 on Bank Holiday weekends) or an annual 'Discovery Pass' can be bought which allows free parking for a year.

Related pages

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