Kielder Forest

A visit to Kielder Forest will uncover many surprises. Get lost in the Minotaur Maze, discover the fascinating night sky or walk along the unique Lakeside Way, a 26 mile multi-use path around the lake which can be accessed from the visitor centre at Kielder Castle. 

Kielder Forest is also home to one of England's largest mountain bike trail networks. Located adjacent to Kielder Castle is the Kielder Cycle Centre which offers bikes for all ages and disciplines as well as up to date, electric assisted cycles. We advise pre-booking rental bikes as demand is high.

Kielder is a great place to see a variety of wildlife. From April to August, live camera footage is shown daily from Northumberland's only breeding osprey population which is now the largest natural colony in the UK with an impressive six nests per season. The nearby Kielder Salmon Centre gives a real insight the fantastic work the Environment Agency carry out in the area, including rearing salmon and also protecting pearl mussels.

Although it's England's largest forest, Kielder is not just about trees. At any one time, a quarter of the area of Kielder is open space, including England’s largest area of blanket bog. Kielder is also England’s most important red squirrel reserve, home to the biggest remaining population of red squirrels in the country.