Forests of Rothbury

Many forest access routes in this forest are currently closed due to the damage caused by Storm Arwen. - See latest information & plan your visit

Visitor information

Opening hours

Access to the Forests of Rothbury and associated car parks can be made 24 hours a day.

How to find us

Rothbury, Northumberland

Sat Nav Postcode: NE65 7PG

By Car

Hepburn Wood
A mile and a half south-east of the entrance to Chillingham Estate.

Holystone Wood
Holystone village is signposted from the B6341 (Elsdon to Rothbury road). The wood is 500 metres west of the village.

Simonside
Signposted from the B6342 (Rothbury to Scot’s Gap road).

Thrunton Wood
Thrunton is signposted from the A697, Newcastle to Coldstream road.

Wooler Common Woodland Park
Signposted opposite the Bus Station in Wooler Town Centre. The Common is one mile west of Wooler.

By Public Transport

Hepburn Wood
There is no bus service in the proximity of Hepburn Wood.

Holystone Wood
There is no bus service in the proximity of Holystone Wood.

Simonside
Bus number 416 connects Rothbury with Morpeth (both mainline rail station and buses to Newcastle). On Sundays and Bank Holidays, Northumbria buses run an additional service direct from Newcastle and Gateshead to Rothbury (number 508). Simonside is two miles to the south of Rothbury. To access the Hills on foot, follow the public footpaths from Rothbury via Whitton and Hillhead Lane, a distance of 2.5 miles (4km).

Thrunton Wood
There is no bus service to Thrunton Wood. However, a service runs every two hours from Alnwick to Wooler (number 473, IDM Travel) that stops in Whittingham, approximately 1.5 miles (2km) north of the wood. Access to the wood is on foot via ‘Whittingham Lane’.

Wooler Common Woodland Park
Wooler can be reached by a fifty minute bus journey from Alnwick (service number 473, IDM Travel). This service runs every two hours. A town bus service will take you within 400 metres of the Common at the edge of Wooler. The last part of the journey is undertaken on foot along the public road access on to the Common.

OS Grid Ref

NZ055995

Get directions

55.3122416, -1.9097876

Parking and prices

All five sites have a free car park.

Additional information

Number of accessible parking spaces: 0

There are no designated accessible parking spaces at this forest, have you seen our Easy Access trails page?

Facilities and access

All the forests have a car park, picnic site, information point and waymarked walks.

Picnic area

Contact details

Landline Number

07971 668782

E-Mail Address

kieldercastle@forestryengland.uk

Forests of Rothbury

Explore the Forests of Rothbury, a collection of woodlands in the north east of Northumberland

From the distinctive table-top profile of Simonside in the south, to Wooler Common adjacent to Wooler town in the north of the area, the Forests of Rothbury are not short of stunning views in some of the most iconic Northumberland landscapes.

With six main sites to choose from, the Forests of Rothbury provide beautiful forested walks but also wild moorland, spectacular crag top views and important archaeological sites.

Start exploring the forests today by following the links.

The Forests of Rothbury

Hepburn Wood - broad, sweeping vistas and peaceful landscapes
Holystone Wood - tranquil broadleaved woodland with waterfalls and crags
Simonside - discover stunning panoramic views across Northumberland
Thrunton Wood - explore exhilarating trails across open moorland
Wooler Common Woodland Park - wild and beautiful area with open access and public footpaths
Harwood - one of the north of England's red squirrel reserves located to the south of Simonside