Dean Heritage Centre, 01594 822170

The best place to start the day is at the Dean Heritage Centre where you can discover more about the Forest’s colourful past from the Ice Age to the present day, and then enjoy a coffee in the Dean Heritage café

From here head through the Soudley Valley, where you could take a walk along the circular Rural Geology Trail and discover 100 million years of the Earth’s history.

Then on to Cinderford and the Linear Park, which offers an interesting walk along the former route of the Great Western Railway Dean branch. It also provides a wildlife corridor, encouraging a variety of species, especially around the chain of ponds.

The route takes in the former open cast site at Steam Mills and passes the remains of several industrial sites including Cinderford Ironworks which had the first coke fired blast furnace in the Dean in 1795.

Speech House Hotel, 01594 822607

From Cinderford, head towards Coleford, passing the famous landmark of Speech House in the centre of the Forest.

Now a hotel, Speech House was built in 1676 as a hunting lodge for Charles II. It was soon recognised as the administrative centre of the Forest of Dean, and the largest room became the Verderers' Court – one of the oldest courts in Europe still in use today.

All Saints’ Church, Newland

Known as the Cathedral of the Forest, the church is set in the pretty village of Newland. It contains several interesting monuments and brasses, most famously of all, the Miner’s Brass.

Lunch: Ostrich Inn, Newland, 01594 833260.

Clearwell Caves, Clearwell, 01594 832535.

Clearwell Caves offers a glimpse into a unique part of Britain’s heritage. This is a natural cave system, partially filled with iron ore which has been mined here for thousands of years.

Dark Hill Ironworks, OS Grid Reference 590091

On this site stands the monument to the work of metallurgists David Mushet and his son Robert. David Mushet built these ironworks in 1818, where he perfected the process of making superior quality refine iron. This work was to have an enormous impact on the future of iron making.

Staying longer?

Why not visit Lydney Harbour, Hopewell Colliery Museum, Dean Forest Railway or enjoy a walk through the Cannop Valley.

Here you will find traces of the area’s industrial past, including quarries, remains of the Severn & Wye tramroad, a monument to the Union Pit disaster of 1902, plus the beautiful Cannop Ponds originally built in 1825 to supply power to the Parkend Iron Works.

Related events: Forest of Dean Heritage Open Days takes place over four days in September and allows visitors access to many historical buildings and sites free of charge.