Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest

Visitor information

Come and explore our wonderful world of trees

Bedgebury is an award winning visitor attraction with something for everyone. Open all year, Bedgebury is the perfect place for healthy outdoor activity.

The National Pinetum is home to a world-leading collection of conifers and contains over 12,000 specimen trees. The trees and landscape create a beautiful setting for peaceful walks and picnics in the rolling hills and valleys of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Bedgebury National Pinetum is awe-inspiring for tree lovers looking to learn about tree species of international conservation importance and see them up close!

Learn more

Bedgebury Forest  has miles of trails for family cycling and mountain-biking, walking, and running. Enjoy climbing, jumping, sliding and swinging on the Play Trail with a range of play areas for different ages or explore the canopy on a Go Ape tree top adventure or tree top challenge. The Bedgebury cafe at the visitor centre has wonderful views of the pinetum and is set beside one of many lakes. You may also find Gruffalo and friends hiding at Bedgebury Pinetum!

At a glance

Bedgebury café is offering a limited hot food menu. Stay tuned for the full Spring 2024 launch as the café undergoes changes.
03/02/2024 08:00
20/12/2023 08:00
Bedgebury National Pinetum - Marshal's lake autumn colour

Conifers at Bedgebury National Pinetum

Our special tree collection includes conifers from around the world and is breathtaking in its size and grandeur. Bedgebury is important on a global scale for species conservation, scientific advancement and the understanding of conifers. You can search our living library of trees using the interactive Pinetum Explorer map.
Forest event
Until the 30 March
10am - 1.30pm
Visitor centre
Can you crack the code and unlock the Easter chocolate hamper? 

Go on an adventure this Easter to discover some of our amazing trees in the National Pinetum.

Complete our Code Cracking Quest trail on Thursday 28, Friday 29 or Saturday 30 March by answering a question at each box location, a letter in each answer will be converted to a number to form a code. 

Return to the Visitor Centre to crack the code and receive a chocolate prize by unlocking the Easter hamper!

Forest event
Daily from 31 March to 14 April
9.30am to 3.30pm
Starts at the visitor centre
Spring is in the air!

Spring into action and discover more about the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. It’s  a great time to look forward and enjoy a new season.

Follow the trail 

Collect your activity sheet from the visitor centre, and hop along the trail following our 2km play trail, spotting the signs of spring. Can you find all the letters to uncover the secret Easter word?

Don't forget to collect your chocolate reward!

Forest event
Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 April
10am to 12.30pm
Visitor centre
Join us to find out more about volunteering opportunities at Bedgebury Pinetum

Bedgebury relies on the help of our team of extraordinary volunteers. Our team of over 90 volunteers are involved with everything from leading guided walks, propagating our trees and helping at our family events.

We are currently looking to expand our practical conservation groups and relaunch our visitor experience volunteers. Are you interested in finding out more?

What to expect 

Join us for tea and cake in the atrium at the visitor centre for a brief introduction to volunteering at Bedgebury Pinetum followed by either an opportunity to join our practical conservation group or to find out more about our visitor experience volunteering opportunity

Register your interest by emailing our Volunteer Co-ordinator: deborah.reekie@forestryengland.uk

Forest event
September - November 2024
10am to 5.30pm
Old Walled Garden - Kent High Weald Partnership
Take your passion for outdoor learning to the next level 

Enrol on to a Bright Sparks Level 3 Forest School Practitioner training course to enable you to lead your own forest school programme. 

Kent High Weald Partnership are able to offer you Ofqual Forest School training at our permanent Forest School site within Bedgebury National Pinetum.

The courses run for 8 days across a number of weeks from September 2024 followed by 1 day in February 2025.

For all information and how to book, please visit the Kent High Weald Partnership website

Our cycle trails offer something for everyone, from beginners and families looking for a fun day out, to adrenalin junkies looking for a challenge.

Follow our 9km family cycle trail using shared use forest road or 13km of single-track for mountain-biking, there's lots to explore around this 2000 acre forest. See the links below for the different cycling activities and trails available at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest.

We welcome all 'electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs) but any electric bike that does not meet the EAPC guidelines along with motocross bikes, quads and scooters are not permitted.

Each week Bedgebury hosts a range of different fitness and wellbeing activities.

Relaxing and rejuvenating sessions give beginners a helping hand and offer guidance and coaching for those with more experience; simply take your pick.

 

The Gruffalo is celebrating his 25th birthday and to celebrate, everyone is invited to take part in a brand-new forest adventure.

What to expect

The interactive family trail features all sorts of party-themed activities and games, along with fun facts to teach you about life in the forest for the Gruffalo and other creatures.

Follow the trail to help find the missing party items to give the Gruffalo a birthday to remember. Search for balloons, pine cones, apples and the Gruffalo himself, and complete fun activities and rubbings as you go along.

Get the party started with a Gruffalo Party Trail pack

Pick up your pack for just £4 from the Information point, packed with fun things to do on your party adventure.

Inside you’ll find:

kraft bag to colour in party headband to wear party trail activity leaflet stickers pencil and crayon keepsake sew-on Gruffalo Party patch

Share your party fun using the #GruffaloTrail hashtag.

The Gruffalo © 1999 & TM Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

Set out on a voyage of discovery in the forest 

Follow in the footsteps of the historic plant hunters on the natural play trail. Discover the Shipwreck; keep your balance on the Giant Rope Swing; or walk the plank at the Trading Post!

Have you found Conifer Crossing? It's our most recent new addition including slides, rope bridges and swings.

Shipwreck (including Trading Post) Spider's Web Butterfly Adventure Trail Dragonfly Pine Cone Ants' Nest Rope SwingPuzzle Forest Conifer Crossing Trail of the Lonesome Pine NEWConifer climbers NEW 

Pick up a map of the Play Trail on arrival or take a picture of the map in the car park.The play areas are shown on the Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest map, which is available for £2 at the Information point.

Please take care of yourself and those in your care.

Our work

A view across a lake with lilypads, a bridge and scarlet red autumn colour

Our work

Bedgebury National Pinetum is home to the largest conifer collection in the world and is important on a global scale for species conservation, scientific advancement and the understanding of conifers. Open all year round, Bedgebury is awe-inspiring for tree lovers as well as a beautiful setting for peaceful walks, and picnics around the rolling hills, valleys, and lakes.

Our history

A bench surrounded by trees and a view across a valley

Our history

Discover Bedgebury's history and learn about the first curator and world-renowned expert on conifers, William Dallimore who developed the internationally important collection of conifers and stunning vistas we see today. Established in 1925, Bedgebury Pinetum is the result of a partnership between the Forestry Commission and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nearby forests

Two ladies enjoying a dog walk at Jeskyns Community Woodland

Jeskyns is home to 360 acres of newly planted woodlands, meadows and orchards. With a good network of surfaced walking trails, children's play areas, café and even a dog activity trail, there is something for everyone to explore at any time of the year.

You can visit a Fairy and Elf Village, introduce the family to the Gruffalo and his friends, say hello to our cows, take the dog for a paddle or just sit and watch the world go by under wide skies full of singing skylarks.

Butchershole at Friston Forest woodland

Friston Forest is within the South Downs National Park between Lulington Heath National Nature Reserve and Seven Sisters Country Park. It is the largest area of recently established forest in South East England.

This expansive beech woodland makes a perfect family day out for those who love exploring the countryside. With walking and cycling trails, great views of the Cuckmere and the sweeping South Downs, Friston Forest has something for everyone.

Forest floor covered in bluebells at Abbot's Wood

Located near Polegate, Abbot's Wood is a great place for a stroll at any time of year, with walking trails, a medieval lake, play area, barbecues and picnic tables.

Thin trail running through conifer woodland

With around five miles of hard surface road and great networks of unsurfaced tracks, Hemsted Forest makes for a great day out, whatever the season!

The forest houses a mixture of conifer and broadleaf woodland and is rich in different bird species.

 

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