Explore Puddletown Forest
Coronavirus update
The government has said the single most important action we can all take to fight coronavirus is to stay at home, to protect the NHS and save lives.
The government has instructed that you should minimise time spent outside your home, minimise the number of journeys you make and only travel a short distance within your local area to exercise. Our forest and essential facilities are open for people to exercise once-per-day, if they live locally.
Please follow the government’s rules on exercising and meeting other people when considering a visit.
You must stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms or are self-isolating.
Tree felling underway
We’re removing some trees from this area of woodland, this is essential thinning to give remaining trees more space to grow. Public safety is our main priority, so we ask people to follow safety signage and not enter the areas where machinery is working. Please look out for heavy vehicles, which are working Monday to Friday.
Forestry England is the tenant of Puddletown Forest, which is located near Dorchester. It's leased to us for the purpose of growing timber and public access to the area is restricted to public rights of way only.
People can walk or cycle along the public rights of way and rediscover the beauty of the conifer tree without having to abandon any love of the broadleaf, as here they exist harmoniously side by side, branches softly creaking in the wind together.
The Forest has historic and ecological importance - it's home to rare insects, ground nesting birds such as woodlark and native reptiles in particular sand lizards and smooth snakes.
At a glance
- Walking on public rights of way
- Well behaved dogs welcome