Grizedale Forest

Grizedale Forest

View of the northern part of Grizedale Forest
Location Lake District, England
Nearest city Carlisle
Coordinates 54°20′25″N 3°01′25″W / 54.34028°N 3.02361°WCoordinates: 54°20′25″N 3°01′25″W / 54.34028°N 3.02361°W
Area 24.47 km²
Visitors 200,000 (in 2006)
Governing body National Trust and the Lake District National Park Authority

Grizedale Forest is a 24.47 km² area of woodland in the Lake District of North West England, located to the east of Coniston Water and to the south of Hawkshead. It is made up of a number of hills, small tarns and the settlements of Grizedale and Satterthwaite. It is managed by the Forestry Commission and is a popular tourist destination with waymarked footpaths, mountain biking, an aerial assault course, a 16-bed hostel, and a visitor centre with a children's playground, education centre, café and shop. The car-parking of Grizedale Forest Visitors Centre is situated on the site of the former Grizedale Hall where its remains can be still seen. The forest is also used for two annual rallies: the Malcolm Wilson Rally and the Grizedale Stages Rally, based in Coniston.

Ropes course

At the forest along the trail there is a high ropes course which consists of ziplines, rope crossings and Tarzan swings. There is a 12 year old age limit and a minimum height of 4 ft 7 inches (139.4cm).

Sculpture trail

Scattered throughout the forest are approximately 90 sculptures, often made from naturally occurring materials such as stone and wood. The project to place sculptures in the forest was started by the Grizedale Society in 1977 and won the 1990 Prudential Award for the Arts. Sculptors have included David Nash, Sally Matthews Andy Goldsworthy and Walter Bailey.

One quarter of the 200,000 visitors to Grizedale per year cycle. A new 9.7 mile mountain biking trail, the £167,000 North Face Trail, was opened in March 2006.

The highest point within Grizedale Forest is the 314 m high Carron Crag, overlooking a wooden panopticon sculpture.

Historically, Grizedale formed part of Lancashire North of the Sands.

Gallery

See also

References