Puzzlewood — Attraction in Forest of Dean

This is an odd one to review. On the one hand, the woodland itself is absolutely magical, where every turn reveals enother view straight out of Middle Earth, elves and hobbits potentially around every corner, with lots of little bits and pieces to find. On the other hand, the overall setup was desultory: I'd at least have expected vending machines for pellets to feed the animals or something (like, you know, absolutely everywhere else that has tame animals), but the kids were just pulling up grass as there wasn't anything like that. There is the worst indoor maze in the world (DO NOT let your young children go inside if you have any mobility issues - you won't be able to reach them if there's a problem), a "toddler racing track" consisting of an old animal pen with a faintly-marked-out circuit on the floor and some push-along plastic vehicles, a small play area with just a few activities, and some picnic tables. The toilet block is shabby and unheated. The staff were disinterested and barely-there... I would give 3.5 stars if I could, but I'm erring on the side of generosity because it was £25 for a family ticket, which is pretty cheap these days.

Thing is, after a mile of crooked, twisty, enchanting pathways, the sense of wonder starts to pall. It's gorgeous, but it's ALL gorgeous, and all the same kind of gorgeous. The virtual treasure hunt is pretty boring - once you've scanned a couple of "coins" on the Puzzlewood app, you've seen it all - and there's no real wow factor in finding yet another chair made of sticks. If a little more creativity were applied, it would be entirely possible to give more of a sense of something to explore, with interesting things to find... and without spoiling the current feel or turning the place into some sort of knockoff woodland Disneyworld.

It was pleasant enough, albeit not ideal for younger children: there are zero facilities of any kind in the wood itself, which is understandable, but also no quick way out, so expect to be facilitating bush wees! If we go back, it won't be for a long time... it's pretty and all, but not compelling enough to make us feel we missed anything.

Puzzlewood is a beautiful little spot, badly in need of curating by someone sympathetic and creative to make it a full day out for a family. I would say: definitely take a look if you happen to be nearby, but don't go too far out of your way... or if you do, plan on visiting one of the other nearby attractions as well, such as...

An absolute hidden gem of a place! We decided on the last day of the summer holidays to try something a little different than a mad dash to some local coastline and we stumbled across Puzzlewood online. We arrived at just around lunchtime as the heavens opened so headed immediately into the coffee shop for a spot of lunch. At around £10 a head for a sandwich/panini, crisps and a filter coffee, it’s not cheap, but was decent enough and bolstered us for the coming woodland ramble! What can I say! Absolutely blown away by the woodlands and at several points we literally had to stop to work out of what we were looking at was actually real or some Victorian folly! Pictures simply cannot capture the beauty and wonder of the landscape and formations that are before you! Bright sunlight filtering through the canopy overhead whilst fresh rainfall patters on the leaves and branches around you and the petrichor is simply mesmerisingly beautiful to all your senses.

Well laid out walkways and great spots to take a photo or simply stop and quietly take in the wonder!

CAUTION: lots of potential places where younger kids and the oldies could potentially slip, trip or stumble. Probably nowhere that you are going to injure yourself but walking around with a wet muddy bum, dirty clothes/hands and a scuffed knee probably will distract from the experience!

There are plenty of warnings and stuff dotted around but watch out for the slippery steps and planks, tree roots and the occasional mossy boulder!

Probably not ideal if you have any mobility issues and an acceptable fitness level but no problem if you are prepared to take it easy and stop and take in the views.

Would be great if you had a map to take with you (maybe they were in the entrance shop but we didn’t see any?) or maybe some big ‘you are here’ type signposts but if you keep walking, you’ll get back eventually!!!

A good few other things to keep the kids entertained whilst the parents grab another coffee and a recoup!

Some nice farm animal encounters, great indoor assault course maze, willow walkways, orchard music ensemble, play carts and an incredibly frustrating ring toss hoop tower thingy!

Overall, a great afternoon in some outstanding nature but probably not enough to keep you entertained for a whole day, but a great stop off after St Braevails, Clearwater Caves or Offas Dyke.

Value: 8/10 Facilities:...

We knew in advance that there would be restrictions for dogs which is understandable in the woodland area (to protect its beauty). However, we didn’t expect a blanket ban on dogs across the entire site. The justification given is that some animals on site have had bad experiences with dogs. None of the animals are free roaming and the café, gift shop, and the large grassy areas with secure fencing and ample benches come well before the animals and forest.

The site itself is large and spread out. One of these areas could very easily be designated dog-friendly, well before reaching the animals.

For dog owners or anyone that doesn't want to go in, there are no facilities. No bins or benches near the entrance. We saw the same elderly people sitting on the ground when we arrived and still there when we left because there was nowhere to wait. If you're visiting the area on a cottage holiday where dogs can’t be left in the property, this setup leaves you with no option but to sit in the car park or leave altogether. Advising customers to use a dog sitter really isn’t realistic for a short stop.

The café and shop would get far more footfall if you could access them without an animal/forest ticket. As it stands, you can't even enter to use a toilet if you have a dog with you. It's an unnecessarily strict approach which is unwelcoming and short-sighted, especially when so many people travel with their pets. Half of our group couldn't enter and in a place like this we’d easily have spent £20–30 after entry on a cafe. No other site on our trip has been like this.

As for the forest, it's genuinely beautiful and definitely worth exploring. However, the signage is very poor. There’s no clear route to follow, no maps, and no guidance on where paths lead or how long they might take. You reach forks in the trail with no indication of which direction to choose. Some signs say “shortcut to exit,” but they don't have a direction to say which way that actually is??

We also expected to see historical or filming information in the woods, especially given the site's connection to well-known shows, but saw nothing like that while walking. Many missed opportunities to enhance the...