How To Find A Gruffalo Trail Near You

gruffalo trail

If you go down to the woods today... You’ll be in for a right old treat! Inspired by the best-selling Julia Donaldson storybook, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo Trail features a number of curious hand-crafted characters from Squirrel, Snake, Fox, Owl, Mouse, Gruffalo and the Gruffalo’s child. Each trail is set against the landscapes of the UK’s most beautiful woodlands.

This nationwide activity currently has 15 locations. If you are wondering how to find your nearest one then wonder no more! We’ve found all 15 Gruffalo Trail locations which you can find down below but first let’s get to grips with the iconic 20-year-old storybook…

What is the Gruffalo?

The Gruffalo storybook
The Gruffalo is a much-loved children’s storybook written by famous children’s author Julia Donaldson. The main character, Mouse, enters the deep dark woods and encounters a fox, an owl and a snake – all of whom want to eat him. In order to persuade each predator not to eat him he must outwit them with a tale of the Gruffalo… But to Mouse’s surprise, the Gruffalo is REAL!

How does the Gruffalo Trail work?

gruffalo
The Gruffalo is one of Julia Donaldson’s most popular storybooks and is a classic rhyming tale. Just like the story, the exciting sculpture trail encapsulates all the exciting twists and turns faced by Mouse in the storybook with interactive activities and adventure.

Kids can follow orienteering maps and discover new parts of the forest while they search for each sculpture. It’s perfect for kids who love mystery and problem-solving aside from the beloved story.

There are plenty of adorable photo opportunities to cease during these trails too. Come head to hip with the Gruffalo himself and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Your little ones will feel as if they’ve landed at the centre of the novel surrounded by their much-loved characters.

Is the Gruffalo Trail free?

Adult with gruffalo on gruffalo trail
Yes! The Gruffalo Trail is 100% free to visit however, depending on which forest you visit there may be parking fees or entry fees to the forest. If you wish to have an activity information guide or map they cost just £1.50. You can grab these from the grounds cafe or visitor centre.

Gruffalo Trails Near You

People going horse riding in Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase Forest

Cannock Chase is the perfect place for an active brood! There is a fantastic Go Ape high ropes experience (with forest segways), vast landscapes, cycling trails, BBQ areas and even fishing areas!
Shape Location Get directions

Cannock Chase Forest, Birches Valley, Rugeley, WS15 2UQ

Opening Times

Open every day from 7.30am except Christmas Day

Pricing

Parking: £3 (up to 1 hour), £5 (up to 2 hours) and £8 (all day)

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Delamere forest high ropes

Delamere Forest

Channel your wilder side with a trip to Delamere Forest! Aside from the enchanting Gruffalo Trail, there is a fantastic selection of outdoor adventures on offer. Head to Go Ape Delamere for your daily dose of thrills or go horseriding. There are 3 more trails for you to embark on too, one of which being the Old Pale Trail – a steep trail.
Shape Location Get directions

Delamere Forest, Linmere, Delamere, Northwich, CW8 2HZ

Opening Times

Every day from 8.00am except Christmas Day

Pricing

Parking: £3 (up to 1 hour), £5 (up to 2 hours), £8 ( all day)

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Fineshade Deer

Fineshade Wood

Nestled in Corby, Northamptonshire, Finshade Wood has everything from majestic deers to awesome bike trails. Spot beautiful red kites in the trees and soak up stunning views over the hills and through the trees. It’s the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of life. There are also super-fun bushcraft activities that the little ones will love.
Shape Location Get directions

Fineshade Wood, Top Lodge, Fineshade, Near Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 3BB

Opening Times

Open every day from 9.30am except Christmas Day

Pricing

£2 (up to 1 hour), £4 (up to 2 hours), £6 ( all day)

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High lodge thetford forest play area

High Lodge Thetford Forest

High Lodge Thetford Forest is a smashing example of a wood with heaps of self-led trails including the Gruffalo Trail. You can cycle, walk, and play all day long in numerous nature play areas. It’s the perfect place to spend all your energy and the picnic area is in an idyllic part of the woods. Hungry? Get your sausages or vegan patties ready for a BBQ feast!
Shape Location Get directions

Fineshade Wood, Top Lodge, Fineshade, Near Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 3BB

Opening Times

Open every day from 9.00am except Christmas Day

Pricing

£2 (up to 1 hour), £5 ( up to 2 hours), £8 (up to 3 hours), £10 (up to 4 hours), £12.50 (all day)

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sherwood pines

Sherwood Pines

Ding-Dong! We have another Go Ape location! With Go Ape Sherwood Pines, minibeast-spotting, bird-spotting, self-led trails, and Robin Hood’s Hideout on the menu for your day out, you’ll never get bored! If there’s one forest you should visit it’s definitely the legendary (literally), Sherwood Pines.
Shape Location Get directions

Sherwood Pines, Kings Clipstone, Nottingham, NG21 9JL

Opening Times

Open every day from 8.00am except Christmas Day

Pricing

£3 (up to 1 hour), £5 (up to 2 hours), £8 (all day)

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Cyclists at Wendover woods

Wendover Woods

Wellies on and ready to explore? Wendover Woods is an ideal location for family walking trails, activity trails, cycling adventures and picnics in nature. There is a magical adventure play area set against fantastic views into the depths of the forest. You’ll find swings, slides, wooden climbing frames and even a challenging ropes trail. Oh! And there’s Go Ape Wendover too for those who are looking to channel their inner daredevil.
Shape Location Get directions

Wendover Woods, Upper Icknield Way, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, HP22 5NQ

Opening Times

Open every day at 8.00am except Christmas Day

Pricing

£2.70 (up to 2 hours), £5 (up to 4 hours), £10 (over 4 hours)

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Alice Holt

Alice Holt Forest

With a huge forest like this, there’s so much to see and do whether you want to wander the leafy paths on one of the many walking trails or enjoy a spot of family walking on the Timberline Play trail – all of which you can try out after The Gruffalo Trail of course!

Why stick to paths and hills when you can enjoy the calming water’s edge in the Farnham Angling Society at Lodge Pond? Just make sure to get a permit before you go fishing!

Alice Holt Forest has lots of great activities to try out and there is also a Go Ape Alice Holt centre for cheeky monkeys who wish to reach the treetops.

Shape Location Get directions

Alice Holt Forest, Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, GU10 4LS

Opening Times

Opening times are seasonal but from 8.00am

Pricing

Parking: £3 (up to 1 hour), £5 ( up to 2 hours), £7 (up to 3 hours), £9 (up to 4 hours), £12 (all day)

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Bedgebury Pinetum bridge

Bedgebury Pinetum

Discover 2000 acres of Bedgbury Forest via cycling trails or walking trails. If you want to run wild then throw caution to the wind (along with your maps) and go exploring. Play hide and seek behind on of 12,000 trees or let the kids loose on the Plant Hunter-Themed Play Area. This 1/2 mile long play area features a shipwreck, a native village, tree stump nest tunnels and other forest-related active play.

Grab a set of wheels and head for the hills on your mountain bikes. Channel your inner monkey at Go Ape Bedgebury and finish your day of action in the Bedgebury Cafe – you can feast on Full English Breakfasts & more!

Shape Location Get directions

Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, Lady Oak Lane, Goudhurst, TN17 2SJ

Opening Times

Open every day from 8.00am until 8.00pm except Christmas Day

Pricing

Parking: £14 (Peak times all day), £10 (Off-peak times all day), £3.50 (Any day early bird 8am – 11am)

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kids building dens at Dalby Forest

Dalby Forest

Explore the ancient Dalby Forest on foot or on wheels! There are a whopping 13 trails including the Gruffalo Trail and other easy-access routes perfect for families. There are 6 cycling trails to choose from and a wonderful play area, Addrestone Field. Don’t want the magic to end? Book a camping trip and stay the night! There’s nothing more tranquil than going to sleep under a blanket of stars and waking up with a mouthful of fresh forest air.
Shape Location Get directions

Dalby Forest, Dalby Visitor Centre, Low Dalby, Thornton-Le-Dale, Pickering

Opening Times

Open every day from 8.00am except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day

Pricing

Parking: £9 (Until 4pm), £5 (After 4pm), £5 (All day)

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kids throwing leaves in the air at Hamsterley Forest

Hamsterley Forest

Hamsterly Forest is home to an array of earthy activities from seasonal den building, bird feeding and all-year-round walking trails! There are many other family trails alongside the Gruffalo Trail with buggy-friendly trails included.

Tired from all the walking? Have a cuppa with a view in Hamsterley Forest’s delightful picnic areas. There are even BBQ stations to use too which are perfect for during the Summer time.

Shape Location Get directions

Hamsterley Forest, Bedburn, Hamsterley, DL13 3NL

Opening Times

Everyday dawn to dusk

Pricing

Parking: £2 (Up to 1 hour), £6 (All day ), £10 (Peak – Bank holiday weekends)

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Wyre Forest

Wyre Forest

Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life at Wyre Forest! There are many beautiful parts of the forest to uncover whether that’s by horseback, hike or bike! Discover the unusual Whitty Pear in the arboretum, head for the heights at Go Ape Wyre Forest or join one of the orienteering sessions organised by the Wyre Forest.

There are plenty of stunning nature walks to make nature lovers happy. Did you know Wyre Forest is the largest woodland National Nature Reserve in the country? If you’re based in the West Midlands you must visit one of your most impressive destinations. Head to the Wyre Forest today!

Shape Location Get directions

Wyre Forest, Callow Hill, Bewdley, DY14 9XQ

Opening Times

Open every day from 8.00am to 9.00pm except Christmas Day

Pricing

Parking: £4 (Up to 2 hours), £5 (Up to 4 hours), £7 (All day)

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Moors Valley Country Park and Forest

Hire a bike and explore 5 cycling trails, go horse riding and pay the steam railway a visit – the choices are endless at Moors Valley Country Park. Shake up your forest exploration with a forest segway at Go Ape Moors Valley. It’s not just the Gruffalo Trail on offer for explorers who prefer walking to their destinations. Have a look at the Woodland Play Trail – if you aren’t too worn out from the Gruffalo Trail that is!
Shape Location Get directions

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Horton Road, Ashley Heath, Nr Ringwood, BH24 2ET

Opening Times

Open every day from 8.00am to 9.00pm except Christmas Day

Pricing

Parking: £4 (Up to 1 hour), £8 (Up to 2 hours), £11 (Up to 4 hours), £12 (Up to 5 hours), £15 (All day)

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Whinlatter Forest

Whinlatter Forest

Action, Action and more ACTION! Whinlatter Forest is full of soooooo many exciting family activities! There are 9 very different and exciting play areas, including a climbing wall, a stunning water feature, cool giant swings and a toddler play zone!

With orienteering trails and walking trails threw into the mix too, it’s a recipe for fun. If you are the type of person or family who is drawn to the water you’ll be elated to know there is Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water nearby! These make for beautiful backdrops in family photos – just saying! 

Shape Location Get directions

Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Keswick, CA12 5TW

Opening Times

Open every day from 10am

Pricing

Parking: £2.20 (Up to 1 hour), £0.50 (Each additional 20 minutes), £8 (All day)

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Westonbirt National Arboretum family

Westonbirt National Arboretum

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is a unique place, as it holds a stunning collection of 15,000 tree specimens, including 142 champions. You’ll have the chance to see the best of what plant hunters found, as they travelled the globe in search of the unusual.

You can take plenty of trails throughout the arboretum, which will fire your kids’ imaginations. Go on a plant-hunting orienteering adventure, or take on the Nature Play trail and see your young adventurers build a den of their own.

Shape Location Get directions

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, GL8 8QS

Opening Times

Open every day except Christmas day from 9.00am

Pricing

Parking: No parking charges at Westonbirt Arboretum

The following entry fees apply:

Spring / Summer / Autumn (March – September & November)

Adult: £11
Students: £7
Child (5-18 years): £4 – Under 5’s go free

Peak Autumn (October 2021)

Adult: £15
Students: £10
Child (5-18 years): £4 – Under 5’s go free

Winter (December – February)

Adult: £8
Students: £5
Child (5-18 years): £3 – Under 5’s go free

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Kielder Castle picnic area

Kielder Castle

Test your mountain biking skills or follow trail maps. Haven’t got your own bike? No problem, just rent one out in the forest! Keep your eyes peeled for Gruffalo sculptures, rode deer, red squirrels, pipistrelle bats and other fascinating woodland creatures. Kids can also learn about the life cycle of salmon too at the Kielder Salmon Centre. Why not take a detour on your way home and drive along the longest forest drive in the UK?

There are lots of things to explore at Kielder Castle once you’ve completed the Gruffalo Trail but which activity will you try out first?

Shape Location Get directions

Kielder Castle, Kielder, NE48 1ER

Opening Times

Opening hours are yeet to be announced for 2023!

Pricing

Parking: Main Car Park – £1.50 (Up to 1 hour), £5 (All day)

Find out more
If forests aren’t you thing but you want to find more Gruffalo attractions then we recommend reading our Gruffalo River Ride article – it’s an immersive dark ride that opened at Chessington World of Adventures. It uses digital projections of pictures and scenes from the famous book so you feel as if you are at the centre of the story! There are other giant sculpture trails based on other Julia Donaldson storybooks such as the Superworm Trail and The Stick Man Trail.

Unsure where to start your next adventure? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activity articles to point you in the right direction. From horse riding trails in The Highlands in our Horse Riding Near Me article to the perfect family days out at RHS Gardens, we’ve got so many nature-related blogs for you to choose from.

If you are looking for activities to do near you make sure to head over to our things to do pages to find top UK attractions and a few unique ones too!

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