Haldon Forest Park - Forestry England
Haldon Forest Park - Forestry England
4.5
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Whether you want a gentle stroll or an exhilarating mountain biking experience, there’s something for everyone at Haldon Forest Park. If you’re looking to entertain the family, get active, rediscover your connection with nature, or just make unforgettable memories, look no further than Haldon Forest Park. Discover easy going trails and a choice of stunning picnic spots, or head deeper into the forest for a more challenging hike. For thrill seekers, choose from cycling trails (blue to black), Go Ape tree top adventures, the south west’s largest orienteering course, and more. With easy parking, toilets, cycle and mobility hire, and cafe, there is no excuse not to explore the forest at any time of year. Open 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day). The forest is free to explore. Parking charges apply which are reinvested into the trails and facilities for all to enjoy.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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- Discerning1979Great Malvern, United Kingdom67 contributionsGet ready to exploreWe come here with our three young children each year. This is the best value day out in Devon. All you do is pay for parking and that’s it. Pack a packed lunch and a bag of snacks, bring plenty of water and hit the trails. We took the yellow butterfly trail this time which was great for our three who are 4,6 and 8. The woodland is beautiful and very well maintained. Fantastic exploring to be done all over the place. You can spend a whole day here and bring the kids home tiered ready to sleep. Great coffee too! We will be back.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 28 July 2024
- Edd MUnited Kingdom7 contributionsGreat family nature walkGreat place for w stroll in nature! Went here with four adults and four children. Bought a picnic worh us, lots of seating yhere for it. My wife bought some cheesy chips for £5.50 large portion but expensive I thought. The woods were lovely. We took the gruffalo trail which was about 1.5 miles long and took about an hour fifteen. Loads of bikes around that you could hire if you wanted. It had its own bike trails and courses that looked cool, if my kids were older would definitely have taken advantage of this There is lots of room for parking. However price is high as is expected £5 for two hours, £6.50 for 2-6 hours I believe. All in all, a nice time, I would say its easily half a days activity but can be pushed to a day if using bikes/bring outdoor toys. Dogs welcome on leads and free water at the main cafe/toilet area.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 7 August 2024
- LablynnRayleigh, United Kingdom142 contributionsAfternoon walkVisited with 6 adults,1 child,1 toddler and 2 dogs We chose to do the Gruffalo trail for the 6 year old which we found took about an hour but it kept the attention throughout. We had let the dogs off the lead which was really good as others had also let their dogs off. There is a playground at the end of the trail There is a Go ape there which we didn’t participate it but seemed very popular. This a huge place of which we didn’t see I think if you liked walking and cycling you could stay the whole day. We finished with a coffee at then end from the cafe. Good afternoon out definitely recommendWe're so pleased that you had a good time visiting Haldon Forest Park and would recommend us! It sounds like you enjoyed our Gruffalo Party Trail and your dogs had a good time exploring the forest with you. We hope to welcome you again in the future. Haldon RangersWritten 7 September 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 23 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
587 reviews
Excellent
344
Very good
173
Average
37
Poor
17
Terrible
16
ste141
Exeter, UK174 contributions
Aug 2022
I went with my parents, of whom, my father has a blue badge. We took my sister and brother-in-law's dog for a walk. I knew that, sometimes, people with a blue badge do have to pay for parking but I thought it would be half price. I thought £4 for two hours is very expensive, especially for any disable person. I thought it should have either been free or at least half price. There were things to do for children and families. There was a large picnic area, but I found only one free picnic table as they didn't have many of them. I had to use their toilet, just before we left, and it felt like a sauna. I think if we walked their dog, again, we won't be going there again.
Written 30 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello ste141, thanks for taking the time to leave us your review.
I can understand your views on our parking prices. We rely on your parking money to help look after the forest and the facilities that our visitors enjoy. From resurfacing mountain trails, to installing new play equipment and changing the toilet roll, every little helps - and we couldn’t do it without your support.
Why do we charge for parking?
To ensure we are less reliant on support from the government we need to have diverse sources of income to sustain the work we do. Part of this is we need to charge for parking, income from parking charges, are our primary way of funding the improvements of our sites. They also help fund the work we do in looking after the forest for all and for generations to come. If you are a regular visitor you could save money with a membership pass price at just £40 per year (as little as 77p a week), by becoming a member you are supporting the work we do helping our forests and wildlife thrive for generations to come to enjoy.
We are busy over holidays and weekends, so i would suggest coming early or late (we are open from 7am until 9pm) to avoid the queues and busy periods of the park.
We hope to see you back here soon.
Kind Regards,
Chris. Haldon Rangers.
Written 2 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephen H
Kingsteignton, UK244 contributions
Mar 2022
Very well signposted and easy to find this excellent attraction. A very large, well organised Car Park. Easy to pay with a credit or debit card. However, be aware the Pay Station is near the cafe and toilet buildings, some way if you park in any of the far away corners. Fabulously maintained and organised by The Forestry Commission, this is a fantastic place to visit. Trails are all well signed and very easy to follow. Walks of 1.5 miles, 3 and 4 miles as well as cycle trails for the more experienced. The short trail is also excellent for Motability scooters (very accessible). Beautiful scenery around the whole of the area. Highly recommended for a visit of one to four hours.
Written 31 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Stephen H,
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us your fantastic review. Glad you had fun on up here in the forest.
We have three tramper mobility scooters that can use all three of our walking trails. We can give you training and you can book them on 0300 067 5826.
Hope to see you again on your next visit.
Kind regards,
Chris,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 1 April 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jedlaw09
Newquay, UK13 contributions
Nov 2021
I enjoyed the MTB trails especially the skills area and off piste . I also made some friends when coming there to , wich was great . The annoying thing was at midday the parking was bad . I been twice and came up from perranporth ,cornwall. The red trail has great descents and that rockgarden is insane by the start of the black trail. The next time i go i want to try out the blue trails . I am not a begginer so I only use the green trail to get to the red . as it is only open to walkers it is packed . So any begginers who wants to ride on a green trail I would reccomend the green trail @ lanhydrock in Bodmin in cornwall because its quite and only for bikes its only 1 hour west from haldon . Great location near Exeter ,M5 and just of the A38 and not to far from Plymouth either. So overall if there was more parking and some of the red would be graded blue because the majority of it is easy especially at the end it would be great . Also it would be nice to reopen the black trail again . If you do not like how its busy try out Lanhydrock and Cardinham woods [bodmin,cornwall] and hour west of exeter trust me parking is no problem there to and the trails are much quiter especially @ cardinham. there walking trails are quite to.
Written 27 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello 222jedl,
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us your review. Glad you had fun on up here on the bike trails.
We do get busy during weekends and holidays. If you want a quieter time, i would suggest coming early or late as we are open from 7am until 9pm.
We have a lot of visitors sharing a relatively small area and do our best to signpost visitors to the correct trails. We have been working to move our Blue graded cycle trail off the walking trails and the final shared section of trail will be re-routed shortly. Future plans to further separate the Red grade trail are currently underway.
We ask that all visitors be aware of the trail they are on and pay attention to all signage and warnings, as well as other visitors. We’re a shared use site and encourage everyone to be aware that they might meet other visitors or the local wildlife when out on trails.
Because we are a SSSI site, we have a limit on what we can and cannot do to the park. We recently redeveloped the car park to allow up to 350 vehicles to park here.
As for the cycle trails, we do adhere to the British Cycling Organisation in respect to the grading, and all are correct and up to date.
We understand the frustration caused by the ongoing closure of the black trail. This has been an ongoing issue caused by wet weather which forced us to stop planned forestry work which began some time ago. We have still been unable to complete this work due to restrictions around bird nesting sites and recurring wet conditions, the trail remains unsafe for members of the public. The repairs have been delayed due to harvesting operations still needing to be completed in the area and substantial trail works are required. We are hopeful that this will finally all be completed and back open by Spring 2022.
Hope to see you again on your next visit.
Kind regards,
Chris,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 29 December 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jamesreactive
Plymouth, UK6 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Lovely place and lovely facilities. Great little playground but not ideal for a short stop on a long journey. We were on a big drive on the A38 and wanted to use it as a pit stop but the minimum parking fee is £4 despite the cafe etc being shut on a Sunday evening. This cost is possibly fine if you want to stop for two hours but unaffordable for a quick stop. If we lived closer we could go for an annual pass but just not worth it for a couple of visits. I think the parking cost seriously needs some thought and 1 hour option needs to be considered, maybe for £2. However, I think forestry England have got this pricing structure wrong and the high cost of parking will be putting off so many visitors who could otherwise enjoy this place. Please have a rethink guys.
Written 2 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello James, thanks for taking the time to leave us your review.
I can understand your views on our parking prices. We rely on your parking money to help look after the forest and the facilities that our visitors enjoy. From resurfacing mountain trails, to installing new play equipment and changing the toilet roll, every little helps - and we couldn’t do it without your support.
Why do we charge for parking?
To ensure we are less reliant on support from the government we need to have diverse sources of income to sustain the work we do. Part of this is we need to charge for parking, income from parking charges, are our primary way of funding the improvements of our sites. They also help fund the work we do in looking after the forest for all and for generations to come. If you are a regular visitor you could save money with a membership pass price at just £42 per year (as little as 81p a week), by becoming a member you are supporting the work we do helping our forests and wildlife thrive for generations to come to enjoy.
I will pass your comments about a one hour charge on to the team to discuss, as we do want to know how our visitors use our park and hat is best for them.
We hope that you do try us again soon.
Kind Regards,
Chris. Haldon Rangers.
Written 7 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vanna B
Kettering, UK39 contributions
Aug 2020
The forest is in a beautiful setting with lots of activities available for the energetic amongst us. (look at the website for activities). It is equally enjoyable for those who want somewhere pleasant to enjoy an afternoon among nature with beautiful views. The cafe was serving takeaway food and there were plenty of places to sit outside to eat it.
Written 9 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Vanna,
Thank you so much for taking the time to give us your great review. We're so happy you enjoyed yourself up here.
Hope to see you in the near future.
Kind regards,
Chris,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 14 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lesley D
Newton Abbot, UK39 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Visited the Haldon cafe this morning and ordered two cups of tea and maple syrup pancakes total bill £18 which we have enjoyed immensely on previous visits. Today we were served half cups of tea and dried up pancakes, on tables that had not been cleaned down! Bring back the intense cleaning we expected during COVID which made for a much more pleasant environment and if you are going to charge £2.10 for one cup of tea at least fill the cup to the top! Not sure we will visit again anytime soon!
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Lesley, thanks for taking the time to leave us your review.
Sorry to hear your visit to the cafe was sub par. I know they are very good with their portion sizes and attention to detail. I shall pass your comments on to the cafe so they can rectify this problem.
We hope that you do try us again soon.
Kind Regards,
Chris. Haldon Rangers.
Written 7 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David W
Wellingborough, UK32 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Large country park, with many activities available. My eldest two children did Go Ape, which they loved. My youngest is 5 and I took him on the gruffalo trail, which was a nice walk for me and he enjoyed hunting for the sign posts and working out the route. There is a good cafe, with pricing much as you expect and lots of other activities such as cycling, segways and table tennis, which everyone enjoyed. We payed for a full days parking which was £6, but it does go up incrementally and is cheaper for less hours. Staff at the information desk were very helpful and friendly.
Like most country parks it is bumpy for disabled visitors, but I don’t recall seeing steps. I think the parks and play equipment could be improved as I have been to country parks with much better play areas, but saying that the youngest didn’t seem to mind too much
Like most country parks it is bumpy for disabled visitors, but I don’t recall seeing steps. I think the parks and play equipment could be improved as I have been to country parks with much better play areas, but saying that the youngest didn’t seem to mind too much
Written 25 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello David,
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us your review. Glad you had fun on up here.
WE do have two play areas, one by the cafe, and a newly installed play area by Go Ape.
Because we are a SSSI site, we have a limit on what we can and cannot do to the park. There is scope for a redevelopment of the park planned for the future, so we can expand the facilities to cater to more. There would be more plans for play areas.
The steps you mentioned are on the butterfly walking trail towards the end.
Hope to see you again on your next visit.
Kind regards,
Chris,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 3 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
amanda t
Devon, UK54 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
My family was visiting for a few days so we decided to have a look at where we could take my 3 yr old niece and we happened to find Haldon Forrest with a Zog trail which my niece loves. So we downloaded the app on our phone and off we went. When we got there it started raining so we decided to have a coffee at the ridge cafe while we waited for it to stop raining. The coffee was delicious and the staff were lovely would highly recommend while your there. Luckily the sun came out and we set off. It was so well set out my niece got so excited every time she saw a picture of Zog and the gold stars she got for finding him the activities were great it's a lovely thing for kids to do it gets them out on the beautiful surroundings and keeps there mind active and there body's active. I would highly recommend it to anyone with younger qkids. The Forrest is beautiful and is great for walking and cycling.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Amanda, thanks so much for taking the time to give us your fantastic review. Glad you had fun on up here with your family in the forest and all that we have to offer.
Hope to see you again on your next visit.
Kind regards,
Chris,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 7 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
awen
London, UK45 contributions
Nov 2022
This area may appeal to those wanting a quick fix of 'Forest Adventure' involving expensive equipment, but if you're looking for a quiet walk in the woods I suggest you go somewhere else. The main drawback - apart from the parking charges which are higher than the centre of Exeter - is the cyclists. Some of the tracks are clearly designated for either walkers, or cyclists. But many other paths are not marked. This morning, tired of walking on the wide, heavily gravelled track, I took one of the well used, well trodden paths that led into the trees. There was no signpost and there were no visible tyre marks on the path so I assumed it was ok for me to walk along it. It was a lovely walk for five minutes: quiet, and away from the crowds. Then, inevitably, two cyclists approached at speed, nearly knocked me over and nearly crashed their bikes. They yelled, with obscenities, that I should not have been on that path. Really?? How are you expected to know?
I realise that it is impossible to signpost every path and track over such a large area but the fact is that a mixture of cyclists and walkers on a narrow path is DANGEROUS. I'm sure that Forestry England realise this, but unless they are prepared to erect signs warning walkers not to leave the designated footpaths because of the danger of cyclists, I suggest that walkers find somewhere else to enjoy, for free, the many other woodlands and forests in the area.
I realise that it is impossible to signpost every path and track over such a large area but the fact is that a mixture of cyclists and walkers on a narrow path is DANGEROUS. I'm sure that Forestry England realise this, but unless they are prepared to erect signs warning walkers not to leave the designated footpaths because of the danger of cyclists, I suggest that walkers find somewhere else to enjoy, for free, the many other woodlands and forests in the area.
Written 17 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello awen, thanks for taking the time to leave us your review.
I can understand your views on our parking prices. We rely on your parking money to help look after the forest and the facilities that our visitors enjoy. From resurfacing mountain trails, to installing new play equipment and changing the toilet roll, every little helps - and we couldn’t do it without your support.
Why do we charge for parking?
To ensure we are less reliant on support from the government we need to have diverse sources of income to sustain the work we do. Part of this is we need to charge for parking, income from parking charges, are our primary way of funding the improvements of our sites. They also help fund the work we do in looking after the forest for all and for generations to come. If you are a regular visitor you could save money with a membership pass price at just £40 per year (as little as 77p a week), by becoming a member you are supporting the work we do helping our forests and wildlife thrive for generations to come to enjoy.
We are a busy site and a shared site, so you will come across dog walkers/cyclists/walkers and horse riders. We do have clear signs on all our trails about where to go and what trails are cycle trails/horse trails/walking trails. We have added a shared trail sign on our most busy intersections on our trails trying to make all of our customers aware that the site is a shared space and please respect everyone. We understand a few people have not adhered to this and do spoil it for others.
We hope that you do try us again soon.
Kind Regards,
Chris. Haldon Rangers.
Written 19 November 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul S
10 contributions
Jul 2024 • Solo
Everything is good, the trails are maintained, there's some lovely walking separate from the bike trails, bike shop, nice cafe. And I know this stuff has to be paid for but £5 for 2 hours parking is too much. I used to bring my elderly neighbour to the cafe. She can't walk, but that's now £20 by the time I've paid for parking and bought 2 drinks and snacks. And there's increased parking again on the roadside around the forest. I'm sure the intended consequence of increasing the charges is to encourage regulars to buy an annual pass, and I'd agree that's better value. But I don't visit enough. I would recommend a small 1hr charge that is refundable against any purchase on site, and the fiver for longer for those enjoying all the facilities.
Written 9 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are the Gruffalo’s sculptures still there? Is the Zog trail still there? If not, is there something else similar for young children? Thanks
Written 7 October 2020
Haldon Rangers
Exeter, United Kingdom
Hi Cal, the Gruffalo is self isolating deep in the forest, so he is not there anymore.
Stickman is still there ready to greet the young ones...and older ones too. Thanks, Haldon Rangers.
Written 19 February 2021
Sunshine32067270761
Exmouth, United Kingdom
Do you just turn up to bbq area or do u have to book are they limited spaces ?
Written 6 July 2020
Hiya,
At Haldon there is only one fire pit and its use is on a first come first use basis so any days you wished to use the pit its recommended you arrive early.
Unfortunately due to the dry spring and summer Forestry England are on an Amber Fire Warning. Meaning no fires or bbqs are allowed on the public forest estate.
If you wish a more up to date response i'd recommend contacting us through our Facebook page and we will get back to you.
Thanks
The Haldon Rangers
Written 8 July 2020
My son has a small electric dirt bike and I was wondering if he is allowed to take it seems as it is simmilar to a electric bike
Written 3 August 2019
Haldon Rangers
Exeter, United Kingdom
Hello, thanks for getting in touch.
Unfortunately we do not allow any motorised dirt bikes (electric or petrol) in the forest, due to liability and insurance purposes. They are classed differently to electric power assisted bikes.
Many thanks,
Haldon Rangers.
Written 4 August 2019
Hi there am thinking of visiting with my husband and 8 month old is the park an easy walk or is it more for bikers and also do you have baby changing facilities.
Written 2 April 2019
Hello,
There is indeed baby changing facilities at the main hub. The forest park is a multi activity centre but 3/4 of the walking trails are suitable for push chairs.
Written 3 April 2019
Haldon Rangers
Exeter, United Kingdom
Hello,
Yes there is a fire pit near the Goape building which you are welcome to use.
Please do not place BBQs directly onto the wooden benches or grassed areas and place all your (cooled) rubbish in the bins provided.
Many thanks and hope you enjoy your visit.
Haldon Rangers
Written 21 January 2019
Will the gruffalo trail be coming back? We are gutted we missed it
Written 19 February 2018
Haldon Rangers
Exeter, United Kingdom
Hello,
No the Gruffalo trail is not coming back, the trail changes each year to a new Character - 2019 is the year of Zog also by Julia Donaldson.
The wooden Gruffalo sculpture is still here though and can be found near GoApe in the Bullers Hill playground.
Sorry you missed it! But Zog is very fun too!
Many thanks
Haldon Rangers
Written 21 January 2019
Haldon Rangers
Exeter, United Kingdom
Hi Katie, the Gruffalo trail was buggy accessible however has now ended to make way for the new character trail coming early December.
Many thanks
Written 8 November 2017
Do they have a play park there? I have seen pictures of Segway,go ape,the walks but no sign of a park.
Written 5 August 2017
There are a few items of play equipment dotted around the gruffalo trail, all timber construction, but no specific play area.
Written 6 August 2017
I would like to come there with my older son. Can we bring younger son who is 5?
Written 3 July 2017
Yes all ages would find something to do there and if he has a bike he'll love cycling around plenty of space to go round. After all the cycling and running around he'll be ready for bed later on.
Written 4 July 2017
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