Visitor information
Opening hours
How to find us
Parking & prices
Facilities & access
Contact details

Opening hours

Open every day except Christmas Day.  

Seasonal opening times apply:

Winter GMT (Nov - Mar): 8am - 5pm
Summer BST (Apr - Oct): 8am - 9pm

Main car park, Overflow car park and Horse Box car park barriers: These will be locked at the closing time listed above. A call-out charge will be payable to our security contractors to reopen the barrier should any vehicle become locked in, contact Viper Security - 07534 733423 

Please note: It is an offence to stay overnight in a vehicle on this site.

Weekdays

Monday
Cafe 9.30am - 4pm
Information point 10am - 3pm
Tuesday
Cafe 9.30am - 4pm
Information point 10am - 3pm
Wednesday
Cafe 9.30am - 4pm
Information point 10am - 3pm
Thursday
Cafe 9.30am - 4pm
Information point 10am - 3pm
Friday
Cafe 9.30am - 4pm
Information point 10am - 3pm

Weekends

Saturday
Cafe 9am - 4.30pm
Information point 10am - 3pm
Sunday
Cafe 9am - 4.30pm
Information point 10.30am - 2pm

How to find us

How to find us
Wootton Road, Northamptonshire
Sat Nav Postcode: NN7 2HX
By Car

Leave the M1 at junction 15 and take the A45 towards Northampton.  Take the slip road marked Wootton and take the 1st exit on the roundabout to cross over the A45.  Go straight across the next roundabout, following signs for Quinton.  At the next roundabout take the 3rd turning onto Wootton Road.  Follow this road through Quinton Village until you reach the edge of Salcey Forest.  The main car park is 800 metres on the left (after the kennels).  

By Public Transport

Salcey Forest is served by the 33 bus from Milton Keynes and Northampton, stopping outside the Visitor Information Point. See Arriva website for more details. 

OS Grid Ref
SP 795 514

52.1577482, -0.8368117

Parking and prices

Our car parks are open all year round (except Christmas Day).

Main car park and Horse Box car park barriers: This will be locked at the closing time, see opening hours tab. A call-out charge will be payable to our security contractors to reopen the barrier should any vehicle become locked in call Viper Security - 07534 733423.

Parking charges apply at Salcey Forest.

You can now use RingGo* at Salcey Forest which allows you to pay for parking online or via an app. Please download the Ringo App before travelling if you can.

Pay for parking on your phone in 5 easy steps:

1. Open the RingGo app, or download for free if you haven’t already got it, using the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android).
2. Log in with your RingGo details, or register as a new user.
3. Select your location by entering the 3–6 digit number shown on the parking signs.
4. Enter your number plate and choose how long you’d like to park for. Remember, you can extend this later.
5. Choose to add any handy parking reminders you need, then just tap to pay.

And you’re good to go! Your details are saved so next time, you can park even faster.

If you’re not a smartphone user, you can still use RingGo to pay for your parking by calling 0203 046 0063. You can also register and book parking with RingGo online.

*There is a small convenience charge for using this service.  See RingGo online for full terms and conditions and VAT receipts.

 

Members park for free with their annual pass.

Please note: It is an offence to stay overnight in a vehicle on this site.

Parking Charges

The money you pay for parking helps us to look after the forests. Read how
Up to 1 hour & Saturday Early bird (8am-11am) £2.00
Up to 2 hours £4.00
All day £6.00

Coaches/Minibuses charges

Minibuses - £8.00

Coaches - £10.00

Additional information

Regular visitors can save money by becoming a Member - Find out more about our membership offer
Number of accessible parking spaces: 6
Card payments accepted
Coaches/Minibuses welcomed
Pay by phone available

Facilities and access

  • We look forward to welcoming visitors back to our sites without legal restrictions. Please remember to take personal responsibility for your health and hygiene and respect others if they wish to continue with some safety measures, such as wearing a mask or social distancing.
  • Be kind and patient to our staff, volunteers and onsite business partners. They are working hard to help you to get the best out of your visit.

For more information on planning your visit, take a look at our accessibility information:

Accessible toilet
Assistant dogs welcome
Baby changing facilities
Cafe
Cycle hire
Dogs allowed
Easy access trail
Information point
Picnic area
Play Area
Toilets

Contact details

Located only 7 miles from the centre of Northampton, Salcey Forest is an oasis of nature and history

This magnificent woodland has many miles of ancient wood banks, building remains and ancient trees. The 'druids', or veteran oaks, are rare and amazing wildlife habitats, and some of the old oaks are over 600 years old. See what you can spot on your visit to the medieval royal hunting forest.

We’ve got endless walking trails, a family cycling trail, adventure play area and even an onsite café selling tasty homemade meals and cakes in a warm, friendly environment.

Food and drink

tea and coffee enjoyed at a forest cafe

Take a break at the cafe

Finish your cycle ride in the forest with a homemade cake and a coffee.

Salcey Forest is a delight to discover on bike. This trail provides a fantastic opportunity for family cycling and spend some quality time in the great outdoors!

The route is relatively flat, wide and smooth and a safe and relaxing way to pick up confidence and develop cycling skills. There are two road crossings on this trail, please take care. 

Bike hire, sales, repairs and maintenance are all available at Grounds Cycle Centre - online booking available! 

Have you seen our brand-new Forest Rider pack? Perfect for children aged 7-12 to hone their cycle skills and help them take to the trails this summer - find out more

 

Riders are welcome to enjoy the sights of Salcey Forest by horseback. The trail for horse riders makes a circuit of the forest on open ridings. Riders may enter the forest on any of the public bridleways, or use the horse-boxing point at the south-eastern end of the forest (off the Forest Road).

No permit is needed to ride at Salcey Forest. 

When riding in the woodland, we request that horse riders keep to the bridleways and permissive horse trail and refrain from using other routes and walking trails in the forest.

Take care at the four public road crossings on this route, which are well signed. There are barriers at 2 of the road crossing locations but there is plenty of room for horses to pass. (what.three.words for road crossings = friday.usages.introduce / sudden.noisy.billiard / reported.earphones.task / seashell.starfish.variation)

For more information on our facilities, opening times and contact details, please see our visitor information.

Choose Salcey Forest if you want to get away from it all and enjoy the ancient woodlands surrounding you and some spectacular wildlife.

Get ready to join Zog on his latest forest adventure with a brand-new family activity trail and free app!

How does it work?

1. Download the new ‘Zog: A Forest Adventure’ app before you visit

Point the brand new app at special markers along the trail and access all sorts of exciting challenges as you go.

Thanks to amazing augmented reality technology, you’ll be able to collect golden stars, just like Zog and have the chance to take a photo with everyone’s favourite dragon at the end of the trail!

Capture the fun by saving videos and photos as you complete the bonus activities!

Get it on Google Play     Get it on the App Store

2. Get your claws on a Zog trail activity pack 

Grab the Zog trail activity pack for £4 from the visitor information point or cafe during opening times.

Inside you’ll find: 

kraft bag to colour in. 

dragon wings to decorate and wear. 

Zog glasses. 

stickers. 

trail leaflet. 

pencil and crayon. 

3. Follow the trail

Collect golden stars as your little dragons learn how they can help care for the forest, and how the forests can care for them.  

Share your Zog fun using the #ZogTrail hashtag.

Zog © 2010 & TM Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

Nearby forests

Bluebells Hazelborough

Hazelborough Wood is an ancient oak woodland with a network of grassy rides for walking.

It showcases beautiful bluebells in spring time and wildlife spotting all year round.

Maulden Wood

Set on the Greensands Ridge, Maulden Wood is a beautiful varied woodland located near Clophill. The woodland contains one of the largest and most important remnants of ancient woodland in Bedfordshire. Both the grasslands in the centre of the wood and the northern end of the wood are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Family on bike ride on forest path

Play, walk, run or ride your way round Fermyn Woods, a stunning ancient woodland set just south of Corby.

With walking trails, orienteering routes, several play areas and a cafe, you will not be short of things to do. If you keep an eye out you'll spot hidden treasures all over, from red kites to deer.

The Visitor Centre is open most days and is managed by Northamptonshire County Council.

Children playing at Fineshade wood

Located north of Corby in the Midlands, Fineshade Wood provides a picturesque setting for your next adventure.

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