Walk 2 - Speech House

Cannop Ponds & Nagshead Nature Reserve:
A relatively easy walk based largely on forestry roads and passing around Cannop Ponds, which has many species of wildlife including coot and moorhens and fish such as perch, tench, bream and chub. As we proceed to the top of the valley, the landscape takes an unexpected turn with great abysses, fossilized trees, corals, shells and moss covered blocks of stone appearing as we pass through an old stone quarry. We continue through the valley to a leading nature reserve, a magnificent area of mature woodland where many of the trees are over 200 years old and constitute one of the best tracts of broadleaf woodland in the Dean. 

The Heart of the Forest:
This is a glorious walk around Speech House, the centre of the Forest of Dean. This walk includes the interesting Cyril Hart arboretum started in 1916 and containing 180 different species from around the world, including the wonderful Queen’s Drive of Scots pine dating from the 19th century. We also take in Mallards Pike, a lovely lake area famous for its colony of mandarins and other wildlife. On to New Fancy viewpoint which is 600 feet above sea level and affords considerable views across the Forest. This walk is entirely in a woodland area made up of oaks, beeches and chestnuts