Open the planner

Hamsterley Forest

Garden, Park & Outdoor · County Durham, England · Bedburn, Hamsterley (use Bedburn in your sat nav), DL13 3NL

Hamsterley Forest is a garden, park & outdoor in County Durham, England. Entry is free. See prices, opening times, the best days to avoid the crowds, parking and food, with every detail dated so you know how fresh it is.

See how busy it is this weekDirections
PriceFree entry
Checked on Forestry England's page: free entry; pay for parking. Gruffalo sculpture trail and Room on the Broom trail, a play area and the Viking Wildplay adventure trail, plus walking, mountain biking (Descend Bike Park), disc golf and a riverside trail. It closes in severe weather warnings.
Opening timesForest open dawn to dusk; Forest Drive 9am-4pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends; Info Point daily except 25-26 December.
Best time to goDry weekdays in term time.
School holiday tipEarly July is the sweet spot for Scottish families: English/Welsh schools stay in until about 20-23 July. Late August is the English/Welsh peak, so choose Tue-Thu and arrive at opening.
Best agesAll ages; play trails and bike routes
All ages; the Gruffalo trail suits under-7s.
If it rainsOutdoors
ParkingBarrierless number-plate car parks (pay by card or RingGo, or online within 48 hours). Sat nav: use Bedburn (DL13 3NL covers a wide area). No public transport. (Under 20 minutes free; up to 1 hour £3.50, 2 hours £6.50, 4 hours £8, all day £9. Members park free (Hamsterley membership £60 a year).)
FoodForest Café open daily (sit in or takeaway); toilets, accessible toilet and baby change.
Money saverEntry is free; parking is the main cost
Top tipsParking charged. Walk the short family trails first and bring a picnic.
What to packWellies, waterproofs, picnic, bikes

Details checked against the official website on 23 Oct 2026. Venue website or source

Been recently? Open Hamsterley Forest in the planner and tap Report your visit to help other families.

Nearby days out