Hamsterley Forest - Forestry England

25/08/2026

2027 is our 100th Birthday! 🎂 But we need your help! 🫵
We are building an archive of photos, documents, and memories to help us share our story, and preserve it for future generations. 🌲✨
Whether you have old family snapshots from decades ago, a favourite memory of a walk through the trees, or old documents—we need your stories, memories, and photos. You are all a vital part of our history!
How you can help:
📸 Share online - Drop your photos and memories in the comments below or send us an email: [email protected]
📬 Feeling creative? Collect a postcard from our Info Point on your next visit, write down your favourite memory, drop it into the postbox and be part of our exhibition!

Let's celebrate 100 years of Hamsterley Forest together ❤️ Please share this post with friends and family who love the forest!

23/08/2026

August in Hamsterley feels like crisp northern air, deep green canopies, and the quiet hum of late summer before the leaves turn. Just beyond the treeline, the heather moorland is waking up in vibrant shades of purple. It is that beautiful, fleeting moment where the Summer depth meets the first cool breath of Autumn. Press play for late-summer magic 🌲💜

21/08/2026

Advanced Notice
Upcoming Diversions and Closures on the Trail Network - From 1st September for four weeks with the potential for an extension
Closed due to thinning works, moving machinery and timber stacking.

Squirrel Chaser Blue MTB:
Long route (Potato Hill & Odd Sox Sections) - CLOSED - Monday to Friday
Short route (Squirrel Chaser Section) - Open throughout
See map for details

The Edge Black MTB
Sections Closed (Root666, Odd Sox, Two Wheels and a Troll) - Diversion in place - Monday to Friday
From ford crossing at Metcalfe's House continue along the Green Lane, rejoin at Grove Bridge
See map for details

Three Becks Trail Walking Route
Diversion in place for duration of works
See map for details

Redford & Pennington Horse Routes
Entire Route - CLOSED for duration of works

These works will facilitate the next stage of our NEW Blue accessible mountain bike trail and give the remaining tree crops space to grow.
For the safety of everyone please respect the diversions and closures.

16/08/2026

🖐Need a new family adventure?

Get outdoors and try disc golf here at Hamsterley
forest🥏

It’s easy to learn, fun to play and like most things, is
even better surrounded by trees 💚

Disc hire available from the information point every day
between 9:00am and 16:00pm.

10/08/2026

🌲Whether you’ve tackled our Parkrun, joined us for Room on the Broom meet and greet or hit the MTB trails, we want to hear all about your visit!

💚Complete our Active Forest survey and you could win a £200 prize bundle including a membership for a forest of your choice.

Tell us what physical activity you do in the forest for the chance to win some great prizes

06/08/2026

July's Ranger Round-Up is Here!
Featuring: Volunteers - Waterfalls - SeeSaws - Nature - Trailbuilding - Trees - Witches AND Brooms!
🌲🌳🥾🪚🧙‍♀️

31/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to our Room on the Broom Fun Day!

We had a magical time with Witch, we hope you did too 🪄🧙‍♀️ Please share your photos, we'd love to see them!

If you missed Witch, our Giant Broom photo station is staying for the rest of the summer: a perfect spot to capture a pic at the end of our Room on the Broom Trail... Watch out for Dragons though!📷🧙‍♀️🐉

31/07/2026

Happy World Ranger Day! No matter the weather our ranger team are out in the forest getting stuck in to everything from trail maintenance to nature conservation, volunteer projects, mountain bike trail building and more!