Things to do
Walking in the forestWaymarked forest trails are available at most of our picnic sites. The length of the trails varies from less than 1 mile to 6 miles, some have short-cuts. The nature of the East of England landscape means that most of our walks are on reasonably flat ground. Easy access paths are available at High Lodge, Lynford Arboretum, St Helen's Picnic Site and Lynford Zigzag. Maps of the walks can be downloaded via the relevant pages via the Places to go page. Alternatively a guide map of Twenty six trails can be purchased for £2 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest Office (office hours only). To make your walks more interesting, trails with interpretation boards are to be found at the following sites St Helens Picnic Site A six mile walk with shortcut. The Boards explain interesting facts about aspects of local heritage and natural history.  High Ash
Seven boards around a two mile walk explain life for the Desert Rats during their stay in Thetford Forest in 1944. Mildenhall Warren Lodge Seven boards around a two mile walk explaining the Warreners life, from the 12th Century to recent times.
Play Sculpture Trail at High Lodge Six Giant Play Sculptures along an easy access path. Boards beside the play sculptures give information on forest life relating to the play sculpures.  Cycling in the Forest
There are four cycle routes in Thetford Forest denoted by colourd posts. These range from the Green family route, through the moderate Blue route to the more challenging Red and Black routes. A waterproof cycle map is available for £1 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest Office at Santon Downham. Maps can also be printed via the above connection. Horseriding in the ForestThe Forestry Commission has a policy of open access for horseriders which operates in Thetford and Sandlings Forests (Rendlesham, Tunstall and Dunwich) and Bacton, Broaks and Chalkney Woods. As a consequence there are few waymarked horsetrails in these areas. In Thetford Forest, we suggest that horseriding is best suited to the area north of the railway line as this is away from the concentration of visitors using High Lodge Forest Centre and mountain bike trails.  Ordnance Survey map Explorer 229 shows areas which are owned by the Forestry Commission and open to the public to ride - the area is outlined on the map in purple. this information is also available via the Ordnance Survey web site.
There are several areas where horses can be unboxed. These include the east end of the Harling Drove (Fire Route 23) and north of the railway line at Santon Downham. Please ensure that when you park, vehicles are securely locked. Thetford Forest is a working forest as well as being open for recreation, so please ensure that all notices concerning 'Forest Operations' and other restictions are heeded. Forestry Commission warning signs will mark areas you should not access, for example during harvesting. In the forests of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire horseriders are welcome on Forest Roads, Bridleways and Horesriding Trails Orienteering At High Lodge Forest Centre there are three courses to choose from which vary both in technical difficulty and length. A map including information for all three courses is available from High Lodge Forest Centre for £1.50. Orienteering is a suitable activity for individuals and as a group activity. It is an excellent way to explore deeper into the forest. Please note that an organised group event need formal permission. As with all forest activities, the availability of the orienteering course depends on other forest activities. For more details of availability please contact Alison Lane on 01842 816028 close to the time of your visit.
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