Events

Spring Breaks in the Forest of Dean – Pet-Friendly Holidays

The Forest of Dean is a kaleidoscope of colours.

When is it Springtime in the UK?

The seasons are defined as spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), autumn (September, October, November) and winter (December, January, February) The first day of spring in the UK astronomically occurs on the vernal equinox, 20 March 2020.

In short, Springtime is almost upon us.

What does that actually mean? Why is Springtime more important than any other season of the year? It’s the time of year when everything in nature is changing and promising new life and new hope. After the long, dark, winter months, spring is literally a breath of fresh air. And as the days get longer, the nights get shorter, and it starts to feel warmer, nature responds in a big way.

Also, the gathering at Stone Henge is another marker to let you know that ‘spring has sprung’. Druids, pagans and revellers gathered at dawn by Stonehenge’s ancient stones to mark the vernal equinox, the official beginning of springtime. Twice a year, the earth’s axis is angled so that the world gets an equal amount of daylight and night, a highly significant event in the pagan calendar.

In case you don’t know; Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, two miles west of Amesbury. It consists of a ring of standing stones, each around 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weighing around 25 tons.

Check out this great website from the BBC all about the joys of spring. BBC.com

Spring Breaks in Forest of Dean Lodges

Forest of Dean Lodges and cabins are a great way to see in the spring. The Forest comes alive, the trees change colours, animals of all sorts and species are giving birth. This is a unique and wonderful holiday experience. What’s more, you can bring your pets to stay with you. However; do make sure to book early. Accommodation can be snapped up quickly.

You can book a Forest of Dean Lodge, Cabin or Cottage now. Check out the great accommodation available. Contact us if you need any further information.

Saint Valentine’s Day Breaks in the Forest of Dean

All The Romance of Dean Forest For That Very Special Day. Book Now!

Saint Valentine’s day is special to many millions of people. However, not many people know the real story of this most famous of saints.

Who was Saint Valentine?

Saint Valentine was a widely recognized 3rd-century Roman saint, commemorated in Christianity on February 14. From the High Middle Ages, his Saints’ Day is associated with a tradition of courtly love. There are two different Saints’ Lives for a St Valentine on February 14, but they are probably the same man. It is said that the Emporer Claudius II had a man called Valentine arrested in 270 AD.

Known to all as Claudius the Cruel, the Emporer had to maintain a large army. However, the Romans of the day were reluctant to join the Legions of Rome and Claudius and his advisors thought the reason for this lack of interest lay in the reluctance of men to leave their wives and sweethearts behind and go fighting abroad.

So, to solve this problem, Claudius decreed that all marriages and engagements in Rome were to be banned. However, Valentine, a holy priest, decided he would defy the decree and carried on performing marriage services. As you might imagine, Claudius the Cruel was not impressed. The prefect of Rome ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Valentine and that he be put to death by clubbing and then beheading.

Whilst imprisoned, the legend has it that Valentine fell in love with the warder’s daughter and, before he was put to death, he wrote her a farewell love letter which he signed ‘Frome your Valentine’. And so, a legend was born and lovers have celebrated February 14th and the holy priest Valentine who was made a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. See more

Book a lodge, cabin or cottage

The Forest of Dean is a romantic setting at any time of the year. Book yourself one of our lodges, cabins or cottages for St. Valentines Day, or, better still, the whole week. There is a great assortment of breaks available from Forest of Dean Lodges, check out the main website pages for full details. Be sure to book early to avoid disappointment.

A 4,000-year-old ritual monument in the Forest of Dean

Just when you think that the Forest of Dean has no more surprises; you get another surprise. It has well been known that the Forest of Dean is a very special place, both culturally, historically and archaeologically.

A 4,000-year-old ritual monument has been discovered hidden in the Forest of Dean.

The Bronze Age ring cairn is made up of ten small standing stones on top of a raised bank in a woodland enclosure near Tidenham in Gloucestershire.

It is believed to be the only site of its type in the area, according to Jon Hoyle, an archaeologist working for the county council. He first spotted the ring when examining the results of a survey of the forest using an airborne laser scan in 2006.

The ring cairn is about 25m (80ft) in diameter and made up of a 5m-wide (16ft) rubble bank, with at least 10 white limestone standing stones, each no more than 1m (3ft) high, standing on top.

What makes this particular cairn so special is that, although common in other areas, this is the first to be discovered in the Gloucestershire area.

The Bronze Age

The Stone Age is considered to have begun about two million years ago and ended sometime after the end of the last ice age about ten thousand years ago. The Bronze Age in ancient China started around 1700 BCE. This is when men learned how to mine copper and tin to make bronze weapons.

Bronze Age Britain is an era of British history that spanned from c. 2500 until c. 800 BC. Lasting for approximately 1,700 years, it was preceded by the era of Neolithic Britain and was in turn followed by the period of Iron Age Britain.

You can see more of this story via the BBC

What’s on in the Forest of Dean in July – Poetry

Poetry. That’s correct, poetry. Now I know when you think about the Royal Forest of Dean, the first thing that springs to mind is, well, FOREST? That’s all well and good but you need more to do than walk around the forest, no matter how utterly beautiful it is.

At any given time of the year, there is always something to do or see in the Forest of Dean. July is no exception. One of the best ways to keep up with what’s going on is to check out the many websites. My favourite has to be http://www.wyedeantourism.co.uk 

The Wye Dean Tourism website has up-to-date information on all events going on in and around the Wye Valley area and Forest of Dean. That is where I found out about poetry. According to the Wye Dean Tourism site;

The Ledbury Poetry Festival takes place over ten days each July. We are the biggest and best poetry festival in the UK, featuring poets from all over the world. If you think you know what poetry is, come along and we’ll surprise you. There are live readings, performances, workshops, open mics, music, exhibitions, films, family events, street events, a slam and much more. 2019 is our twenty third year – join us for a celebration of poetry in the rural heartland of England. See More

There is also a free download of the programme of events. The event started on the 8th of July and carries through to the 14th of July. There will be familiar faces as well as new faces. New poetry and classic poetry.

What a wonderful way to enjoy a day out. There is so much more to see and do when you stay at the Forest of Dean Lodges at Coleford. A quick browse through the Wye Dean website will give you some great ideas for your holiday. The added bonus is that you can bring your pets with you. We are pet-friendly.

We hope you enjoy the poetry.

There are plenty of events in the Forest of Dean in June

What events are there in the Forest of Dean in June? The great news is, there are plenty of events to keep you occupied.

The Forest of Dean is an excellent venue for your holidays, at any time of the year. The Forest of Dean is as beautiful in the winter as it is in the summer. Likewise, Spring and Autumn.

The usual activities, such as hiking, birdwatching, cycling and other activities can be supplemented. Thanks to the Internet, finding things to do on your Forest holiday is quite easy. Nonetheless, we have a few links for you that we think you may find very interesting.

One such site is Forestry England.

This Forestry website is excellent for information on the Forest of Dean and other locations. For instance; in June 2019, you can go and enjoy the following:

Forest Bathing.

Shinrin-yoku (or forest bathing) means ‘bathing’ all the senses, whilst walking slowly in the forest. When taking in the forest atmosphere like this, the brain naturally switches off from the ‘sustained directed attention’ of life’s daily pressures. Shinrin-yoku is restorative, both mentally and physically, like a bath.

Shinrin-yoku is a slow practice, involving walking; probably no more than 2km whilst taking in the forest atmosphere. As the season’s change, so does the weather, the quality of light, movement of air and animal life in the woodland. By bathing our senses in the forest we’re tapping into its natural rhythms. Buy tickets.

Bowl Carving

Have you ever fancied turning your own wooden bowls? If so, here is a great opportunity to do so. Learn to carve a beautiful wooden bowl using hand tools out of local green hardwood.  At the end of the day, you take home a functional bowl handcrafted by your own hands Buy tickets.

Woodturning on the pole lathe

Basics in woodturning, you will cover sharpening techniques, drilling on the lathe and parting off techniques.

Furthermore, you’ll discuss and learn finishing techniques to then take a hand made items home with you. With guidance from our tutors, you will gain hands-on experience throughout the course. Buy tickets.

That should do you for starters. The Forest of Dean has a diverse amount of shows, cultural events, countryside events as well as your normal range of entertainments. However, why not try our hand out and make something yourself. What a fantastic keepsake for your Forest Holiday.

Events in the Forest of Dean and Gloucester January 2019

Forest of Dean Lodges are a fantastic way to enjoy a true British holiday at home. The Forest of Dean, Wye Valley and Gloucester are right on your doorstep.

Winter in the Forest of Dean is a beautiful time of year, all the more better if you get a covering of snow. It is real picture postcard stuff.

There is more to a Forest Holiday than the forest itself, although for some pèople, this is more than enough. There is the beautiful Wye Valley and Gloucester areas that you can go and enjoy, using the Forest Lodges at Coleford as a base.

There is always something on, something to see or do. So, what’s on in January 2019?

Events January 2019 Gloucester

Of course, with it being the start of the New Year, there are still plenty of festive shows and pantomimes still running in and about the Forest area. For example, Aladdin at the Everyman Theatre, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Bacon Theatre and also musicals such as Elton John tribute, Just So Musical as wellas Simon and Garfunkel shows, to name a few.

Other events happening in January are the Gloucester Cajun and Zydeco festival. A mixture of fantastic music and dancing from Europe’s longest running Cajun and Zydeco festival.

Forest of Dean Weddings 2019

How romantic a location can you get? Forest of Dean Weddings. Thanks to Capture This Moment

Having a wedding in the Forest of Dean in 2019 sounds really wonderful. Its something that is becoming ever more popular, especially with people who are on the side of mother earth and those who want something more historically traditional.

OK, having your “normal” wedding is cool, the church/ registrar, wedding dress, suited and booted grooms. But, “a special day” is a really a special day and a little imagination can go a long way.

What got me onto this line of thought was the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markel. I was out to tell the world and his wife all about the Forest of Dean Lodges at Coleford and how it would be a fantastic weekend to book in and watch the wedding from there, in great style and comfort.

It was then that it dawned on me that Forest Of Dean Lodges had nothing on the website about wedding receptions, services or Forest of Dean honeymoons.

So, I did a little bit of research on Google and was astonished to find that the weddings ceremony in the forest of Dean was very popular and that there were many places offering weddings services,wedding receptions and even honeymoons in Dean Forest.

Can you host a wedding at Forest of Dean Lodges in Coleford?

As elegant as any church isle and a Clematis covered Pergola for your service.

Yes! Of course, was the answer From Erica Hastings, the owner of Forest of Dean Lodges in Coleford. When I explained what I had in mind, Erica told me she would send me all the information I need. I will update this post as soon as I get that.

Meanwhile, while I have my thinking hat on, there is, in Coleford, a company that goes by the name of Designed for Beauty, they can do the hair, make-up, tanning and anything else you could think of that goes into the mix for that perfect wedding.

Other Forest of Dean Weddings venues

• Bells Hotel. Lords Hill, Coleford.
• Blaisdon Hall.
• Clearwell Castle.
• Forest Hills Golf Club.
• Perrygrove Railway.
• The Belfry Hotel.
• The Speech House Hotel.
• The Wilderness Centre.

If you are planning to have your destination wedding in the Forest of Dean, then why not contact us and see what we can offer you. For those who don’t know what a ‘Destination wedding’ is; A destination wedding is a ceremony held more than 100 miles from the brides home.

You must have seen or even heard of people going to far flung places to get married? well, that is called a destination wedding and the Forest of Dean is as exotic a place to get married as anywhere outside the UK.

Before you make any hard decisions, please, speak to Forest of Dean Lodges and see what we can arrange for your special day.

Registration Office & Licences

The legal side of a wedding day is the job of the Gloucestershire Registration Services. These are the people who can help and advise you with the legal requirements for weddings and other official events.

Gloucester Registration Services have a great FAQ’s page on their website that dals with th most often asked questions. So, if there is something you need to know, check out the FAQ’s page first.

If that doesn’t get what you are looking for, there is a Help & Advice page. If all else fails, you can contact them via email or telephone. For the Forest of Dean Registration office at Cinderford, you can contact them here.

Mothers Day in the Forest of Dean Lodges

Celebrate Mothers Day in Forest of Dean lodges

Mothers Day UK falls on Sunday March 31st

We all celebrate the day but do we know anything about it? Mothers Day and its traditions stretch back to 1908. A simple of Google will give you the details, should you be interested to know the history of Mother’s Day. I “borrowed” this, just in case.

Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family. As well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world. The most commonly in the months of March or May.

I took a look at the main Wikipedia article on Mothers Day and I was amazed at how little I knew about it. I thought this was some long held pagan holiday but, as usual, I was wrong.

We have a lady called Anna Jarvis to thank for Mother’s Day, she held a memorial to her mother in St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. This is the very same place you will find the International Mother’s Day Shrine.

That’s the history lesson over with. But it is nice to know these facts. After all; one never knows when one will be asked a Mother’s Day related question in a pub quiz, does one?

Mothers Day Celebrations Forest of Dean 2019

Now, the lovely people at Forest of Dean Lodges, which are in Coleford, Gloucestershire, they have asked me to tell all who will listen that Mother’s Day in the Forest of Dean is a superb way to treat mum.

Not only is it a beautiful place for a holiday but the Forest of Dean Lodges also have mini-breaks, health and fitness breaks. There are couples breaks and a range of other long term and short term breaks and stays.

While your staying in one of these Forest of Dean lodges or cottages, you can also pop down to the Designed for Beauty Salon and treat your mother to a makeover or some other great beauty treatments they have available.

Imagine your mum’s face when you she pulls up to a Forest Retreat that also offers Spa and Beauty treatments?

There is a special Mother’s Day package that cost a miserable £37.50 consisting of a Hot Tub, Hydrating Hands and Fabulous Feet.

That beats the hell out of a bunch of flowers and costs about the same.

Treat your mum like a queen this Mother’s Day, take her to the Royal Forest of Dean.