Thetford Forest

Thetford Forest is the largest lowland pine forest in Britain, located in a region straddling the north of Suffolk and the south of Norfolk in England.

History

It was created after the First World War to provide a strategic reserve of timber, since the country had lost so many oaks and other slow-growing trees as a consequence of the war's demands. It is managed by the Forestry Commission. The creation of the forest destroyed much of the typical Breckland environment of gorse and sandy ridges, ending the frequent sand blows (where the wind picked up sand and blew it across the road reducing visibility). However, this environment was itself man-made, since the area had been denuded by flint-mining, the construction of rabbit warrens and other activities. Grimes Graves is located within the forest.

Biodiversity

The forest has a high level of biodiversity. It is home to a large population of hares, rabbits and gamebirds. Several species of deer also reside there, Muntjac, Roe Deer and a small population of Red Deer, the last hunted by the Thetford Forest Staghounds. It is largely surrounded by farmland, as well as the villages of West Stow, Ingham, Elveden, and the towns of Thetford in Norfolk, and Brandon in Suffolk.The forest is home to a good number of birds, such as Woodlark, Nightjar, Goshawk, Crossbill, Siskin and an introduced population of Golden Pheasant. All of these can be found at Mayday [ [http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandEastAngliaNoForestThetfordForestParkMaydayGoshawkTrail?OpenDocument&sect=ww Thetford Forest Park Mayday] . - U.K. Forestry]

High Lodge Visitors Centre

Deep in the heart of the forest lies High Lodge Visitors Centre. High Lodge has a 100 seater restaurant, gift shop, cycle hire, adventure play area, walking trails and cycling trails. It is also the home to the Go Ape high wire adventure course.

There is a toll charge of £6 to enter High Lodge. The money raised is injected back into the forest and is much needed for the survival of such facilities.

The centre is open all year round, except Christmas Day.

Mountain biking

The forest is a popular destination for mountain biking, and has several marked trails ranging from those suitable for families, to the "Black Trail" for experienced riders. The forest also has hundreds of miles of singletrack, several bomb holes and a steeply undulating section called "The Beast".

National cross-country cycling races are held in the forest. There is also a recently formed organisation called TIMBER (Thetford Improved Mountain Biking EnviRonment) which aims to work with the Forestry Commission to improve the mountain bike trails in the forest.

Bikes can be hired from the High Lodge Forest Centre.

Music in the forest

It also hosts annual concerts from such luminaries as Pulp and Jools Holland.

2007 saw The Feeling, Blondie, M People, Travis, James Morrison and Van Morrison take to the stage at High Lodge.

Other activities

There is also a walk way through the trees called 'Go Ape'. There is a Center Parcs holiday resort at Elveden which also brings many visitors.

A sizeable proportion of Thetford Forest and the surrounding woodlands is reserved for military activities, with public access forbidden; this land is used for farming, so one can often hear small-arms fire from the far side of an idyllic meadow covered in grazing sheep.

Thetford Forest has been mentioned on the Caravan channel as a good place to go with your caravan.

Paintballing activities also take place on the Thetford Forest site.

References

External links

* [http://www.forestry.gov.uk/thetfordforestpark Forestry Commission Thetford site]
* [http://timbermtb.org/ TIMBER - Thetford Mountain Biking Trail Organisation]
* [http://www.goape.co.uk/ContentArticle.aspx?Id=91 Thetford Forest Go Ape]
* [http://www.paintballnorfolk.com/ Paintball Norfolk]