The Riverside Trail, Hamsterley Forest

Riverside Trail:

Distance

1.5 – 2 miles

Why we love this walk

This walk is pram accessible and is short in distance, making it the perfect walk for those with children of younger ages. There are Gruffalo sculptures, Superworm activity boards and outdoor play areas to discover – a child’s paradise! With it being so close to Hamsterley Visitors Centre there are also plenty of facilities on hand – we always love a walk that also offers toilets, a cafe and a play park!

Parking

There is a pay on exit car park at Hamsterley Forest main car park, a short distance from the visitors centre.

Riverside Trail.

Pram accessible path.

Follow the blue arrows.

The Route:

This pram accessible forest walk is part of Forestry England North and offers breathtaking views, a car park and well maintained paths. Not forgetting the fabulous facilities at the main site of Hamsterley Forest. Here you can find a visitor centre, cafe, toilets, ice cream shop, bike hire and much more. We recently reviewed The Bedburn Beck Trail at Hamsterley, the review can be found here.

The Riverside route is perfect for little legs of the family, whether your toddler chooses to walk or take the pram there is something for everyone. Please note the path can get narrow and bumpy in parts so I would personally recommend an all terrain pram however, I have previously completed this route with a city pram.

Start at the visitors centre and follow the blue waymarkers, the route is easy to follow and the signs are all labelled Riverside trail. This route is also home to the fantastic Gruffalo sculptures and the Superworm Trail. A map of the blue walking route is available at Hamsterley Visitor Centre, alternatively you can click here to be directed to the Forestry England website and view the trail map.

Overall this is a lovely family friendly trail situated in the heart of the forest with plenty for little ones to see, discover and explore. With outdoor play areas, sculptures and woodland paths this is a stunning family forestry walk.

This walk is part of the Forestry England Woodland Walks. Hamsterley is a working forest and therefore some trails can be closed at times due to forest operations, or damage caused by recent storms. For all up to date information on the trails at Hamsterley please access the Forestry England website here.