Forest Glade

Took a trip up to the wentwood forest this morning, another dull wet and cold day some beautiful scenery up the drive overlooking the forest on either side of the road.

Some information concerning Wentwood forest.

Wentwood is the largest site of ancient woodland in Wales. Once a hunting preserve of Chepstow Castle, it is now a conifer plantation. The Woodland Trust acquired most of the site in 2006 and is in the process of thinning conifers to restore the ancient woodland and improve habitats for wildlife.

Wentwood is part of a former ancient woodland that stretched from the River Wye to the River Usk. As well as the introduction of conifers for commercial purposes, much of the forest was cleared to provide timber for trenches during the First World War.

The forest is spread out over 400 hectares (1,000 acres), although The Woodland Trust owns 352 hectares (869 acres). It is home to 75 species of bird, including turtle dove, nightjar and spotted flycatcher, and is a habitat for dormice, otters, lizards and bats.

There is a good network of woodland rides, way-marked trails, paths and bridleways, including the Wentwood Forest Downhill mountain-bike trail.

Short walks take about 45 minutes, while longer walks can take up to 1.5 hours. The longest, circular route is around 4 miles in total, and passes through several picnic sites.