You’d have to go quite along way to find an area of Britain that is as truly beautiful as the Forest of Dean Not only does it have the amazing Wye valley flowing through the middle of it but it has some fantastic views of the River Severn, the Cotswolds to the South, the Malvern’s to the North and the Black Mountains and Wales to the West. Stand atop May hill and you will see it all. What is it about this magical place that has quite a few tales and history attached to it. One thing it has that many others do is some Plumbers Forest of Dean way like http://greenplanetheating.org/ so if you decide to settle there you are certainly covered for care of your plumbing system.
The forest has always been there and has changed hands between the Welsh and English for centuries. To prove the point Offas Dyke, the ancient boundary of Wales and England. It’s a very nice walk now but it just illustrates the controversial land that is the Forest of Dean. The only reason that the Forest is there is that William the Conqueror could go and do some hunting. The area was only to be used by the King and his retinue for hunting. The only problem there is that the places needed to be maintained so unofficially it was populated by people who were squatting on the land but performing a useful and necessary service. They were considered to be devious and quite mad due to the incestuous living that they had. Its still a view that is perpetrated today with people in Gloucester and the surrounding areas heard to so that Foresters are a bit “special and different” but it’s a trait that Forest of Dean dwellers like to play up to.
There is a lot of industrial history in the Forest. It is claimed that Robert Mushett created Steel here but this is inconclusive. Its very possible because there are iron ore mines in the Forest in the shape of the Clearwell caves. Here there are free miners who work for themselves not an employer so Mushett had plenty of resources and support.
Nowadays the industries are pretty much gone and the real income that comes in is the tourist trade. The area boasts a model railway, pirate themed crazy golf, Go Ape allowing you to walk amongst the Trees in treetop walk plus there are walking and bike opportunities.
