Thetford Forest Park

The size, diversity and accessibility which Thetford Forest Park offers makes it one of England's top attractions for nature lovers and people looking to spend a peaceful day in a beautiful setting. The forest combines heathland, broadleaves and pines in a wonderfully scenic setting which contains a large amount of wildlife in it.

The park is located in Breckland in East Anglia, where Norfolk blends into Suffolk. The M11 from London, A14 from Cambridge / Ipswich and the A11 from Norwich / Newmarket all take you there and many people take the opportunity to travel to the Forest with their caravan.

The High Lodge Visitors Centre is an excellent stop for families looking to enjoy its large restaurant, children's play area and gift shop. There is a cycle hire shop here and various walking and cycling trails lead away from it. For the more adventurous there is also the Go Ape course, which offers high wire excitement. Big names from the music industry often play concerts in the High Lodge and it is well worth checking who is due to perform during your visit.

Within the park is the ancient flint mine known as Grimes Graves, which was worked between 3000 BC and 1900 BC and possibly onto later ages. The 96 acres of the complex include well over 400 shafts, some over 40 feet deep.

The animal species found here include rabbits and hares, deer and many types of birds. The Mayday recreation centre is the best place for spotting birds which are not commonly seen in this country, with woodlark, crossbill and goshawk among the most sought after sightings.

The quality of the cycling tracks in the park is evident in the fact that nationals cross country events take place here. The most difficult trails are probably the Black Trail and the ominously named The Beast section.

One of the many walking trails is known as Roman Road leads all the way to the Norfolk coast while parts of Thetford Forest are off limits to the public, being cordoned off for military use.

Other popular activities in the forest include paintball events and the British Siberian Husky Racing Association's races, held during the winter.