High Lodge Forest Centre

 

High Lodge is the Forestry Commission's premier recreation site in East Anglia. You can walk, cycle, play, picnic, barbecue or simply relax and enjoy the forest. There are walks ranging from one to three miles and cycle trails for all abilities. High Lodge is also the home of the cycle hire and sales facility Bike Art of the high wire forest adventure course Go Ape. At quieter times it is also a good place for watching wildlife. Good quality home made refreshments are available in the Tea Room.

WALKING - There are 4 walks the Orange route (1mile), blue route (1mile), yellow route (3miles) and the easy access route that follows the sculpture trail.A guide map showing 26 trails around the forest is available for £2 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest Office at Santon Downham (Office hours only).
Squirrel Scamper
Blue Walk
Orienteering Course
Orange Walk
Yellow Walk
Giant Play Sculpture Trail - Easy Access

Cycling trails

CYCLING - 4 cycling routes, the green family route, blue route and the more challenging red and black routes. Cycle Hire is available on 01842 810090. A CYCLE MAP is available for £1 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest District Office at Santon Downham (Office hours only). The map can also be printed from the Cycle Route pages of this web site, see below.
Black Mountain Bike Route
Red Cycle Route
Blue Cycle Route
Green Cycle Route

How to get there:

Brandon is the nearest town or village.
OS Grid Reference: TL807864

The forest drive and entrance is located on the B1107 Thetford to Brandon Road. approximately 4 miles from Thetford and half a mile from Brandon. Follow the Forest Toll Road for about 1½ miles and you will enter the car parking area. A forest toll applies. (Post code IP27 0AF)

Other places to go in Thetford Forest Park

• Rishbeth Wood
  
• Lynford Stag
  
• Mayday
  
• Shouldham Warren
  
• The Kings Forest
  
• St Helens
  
• West Stow
  
• Cranberry Rough
  
• Santon Downham
  
• Great Hockham
  
• High Ash
  
• Two Mile Bottom
  
• Thorpe Woodlands
  
• Lynford Arboretum and Lakes
  
• Swaffham Picnic Site
  

Facilities:

	FOREST CENTRE - The building which houses the shop and restaurant is in the style of a traditional Suffolk barn. SPRING and SUMMER OPENING TIMES High Lodge Shop and Restaurant are open from 9am - 5pm every day. WINTER OPENING TIMES Opening hours vary due to seasonal conditions. Please telephone for details.
	DISABLED FACILITIES - There is parking for the disabled and disabled toilets available. Mobility Cycles have been funded by The Friends of Thetford Forest Park and are available to hire from BikeArt. For details/pictures access the Friends Website link, select "Our Achievements" then "Mobility Cycles".

Activities

	WALKING - There are 4 walks the Orange route (1mile), blue route (1mile), yellow route (3miles) and the easy access route that follows the sculpture trail.A guide map showing 26 trails around the forest is available for £2 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest Office at Santon Downham (Office hours only). Squirrel Scamper Blue Walk Orienteering Course Orange Walk Yellow Walk Giant Play Sculpture Trail - Easy Access
	CYCLING - 4 cycling routes, the green family route, blue route and the more challenging red and black routes. Cycle Hire is available on 01842 810090. A CYCLE MAP is available for £1 from High Lodge Forest Centre or from the Forest District Office at Santon Downham (Office hours only). The map can also be printed from the Cycle Route pages of this web site, see below. Black Mountain Bike Route Red Cycle Route Blue Cycle Route Green Cycle Route
	FOREST TOLL Charges: Cars - £6, Motorbikes - £3, Minibuses - £12, Coaches - £23. Annual Season Ticket £36. ANNUAL SEASON TICKET APPLICATION FORM 2008-9 AVAILABLE NOW.
	EDUCATION - Forest Experience, Mini Beast Hunts, Woodland Habitats, Squirrel Scamper, Shelter Building, Team Building, Forest Tours .... just a few of the wide range of educational activities on offer. Guided and self guided days on offer, tailored to your requirements. Telephone the Recreation Department on 01842 816 031 for more details.
	WILDLIFE - The area is rich in wildlife. A small hide at the end of the orange walk offers the opportune visitor a chance to glimpse one of the four types of deer that live in the forest - Muntjac, Roe, Fallow and Red. Other wildlife haunts include a bat hibernaculum adjacent to the Centre - common and unusual bat species have been recorded here including Pipistrelle and Barbastelle and the small ponds scattered around the site, which encourage newts and toads. It is also a haven for butterflies and birdlife. Look out for the woodpeckers, crossbills, chaffinches and if you are lucky in the summer months at dusk you may be able to here the Nightjar calling.
	ORIENTEERING - Permanent Orienteering course is available, maps can be purchased from the shop at £1.50
	BBQ's on special concrete bases are available please call 01842 815434. No personal BBQ's allowed.
	PLAY AREAS - A Large Play area and a maze is available - open all year round. The Giant Sculpture trail offers an easy access trail with wooden structures for children to play on.
	GO APE! - An aerial assult course of extreme rope swings and zip slides. Call 0870 458 9187. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIKE ART - Explore and enjoy your forest with Bike Art cycle hire. Call 01842 810090.

Contact:

Recreation Rangers