Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre

Located between Coniston Water and Windermere, Grizedale Forest offers visitors a range of outdoor activities and opportunities to explore its extensive trails. Managed by Forestry England, the forest is home to the Grizedale Visitor Centre, which provides resources and facilities for walkers, cyclists, and families.

an image of the cafe at the Grizedale Visitor Centre in the Lake District

Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre Facilities

The Grizedale Visitor Centre serves as the hub for exploring the forest, offering a range of amenities for visitors. The café provides a selection of meals, snacks, and drinks, making it an ideal spot to relax before or after a walk. The gift shop stocks locally made products, books, and maps, while the exhibition space hosts events and displays throughout the year, showcasing the area’s natural and cultural heritage. For families, there is a large wheelchair-accessible playground, and an all-terrain mobility scooter, known as a “tramper,” is available for use on a designated 5km trail.

The centre also hosts forage and cook workshops on select dates throughout the year, where participants follow a guide to identify edible plants along the trails and sample pre-prepared wild foods. These workshops provide a hands-on way to engage with the forest’s ecosystem and learn about sustainable foraging.

Walking and Cycling Trails

Grizedale Forest offers a range of trails for walkers and cyclists, with routes designed for different abilities and preferences. Walkers can choose from short, accessible loops to more challenging hikes that showcase the forest’s natural features, including streams and viewpoints across the Lake District fells. Cyclists can explore seven marked trails, ranging from cross-country routes to downhill tracks.

an image of the Biketreks the bike hire shop at the Grizedale Visitor Centre in the Lake District

For those without their own bikes, Biketreks, located at the visitor centre, provides bike hire and advice on suitable routes. For details of walking and forest trails in Grizedale and a free download for Grizedale Walking Map see the Lake District Forests and Forest Trails page. The shop in the Visitor Centre also sells a guide to the forest, showing the many miles of track suitable for walkers and cyclists, as well as many other paths for walkers.

Grizedale Forest Sculpture Trail

Grizedale Forest is known for its Sculpture in the Forest program, established in 1977. This initiative incorporates site-specific artworks along the trails, many created from natural materials. The sculptures highlight the connection between art and the environment, adding interest to the forest walks.

The project has earned recognition for its innovation, including the 1986 award for the “most outstanding contribution to art in a working environment” and the £100,000 Prudential Award for the Arts in 1990. The collection remains the largest of its kind in the UK, with sculptures accessible along several trails.

an image of an outdoor sculpture at Grizedale Forest in the lake district

Activities for All Ages

Grizedale Forest provides a variety of activities suitable for visitors of all ages. Families can enjoy the playground and beginner-friendly trails, while those seeking adventure can book zip trekking or Segway treks or explore the forest on mountain bike trails. The Tree Top Adventure and Tree Top Junior courses offer high-rope challenges, and the zipline features provide an aerial perspective of the forest.

an image of a child on a zip wire at Grizedale Visitor Centre adventure playground

Hawkshead / Windermere (lake) / Coniston

Visit Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre and Forest Park

2024 Opening hours – Visitor Information & Forest Cafe: 7 days a week except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Limited hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
Summer – 10am to 5pm
Spring, Autumn, Winter – 10am to 4pm

2024 Parking charges – Up to 20 mins – Free / 1st Hour – £2.50 / Additional time – 50p per 15 mins / All Day – £8.00

Postcode : LA22 0QJ / Tel 0300 067 4495

See more photos of Grizedale

Interesting facts about Grizedale Forest

The Silurian Way trail is the longest walking trail in the forest at 10 miles long.
Since 1977 leading artists from around the globe have come to Grizedale to create sculptures.
The forest covers an area of 24.5 square kilometres.