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Swinley Forest

Swinley Forest covers more than 3000 acres of woodland which runs across gently sloping hills, making it the perfect destination for a range of fun and exciting activities.

Windsor Great Park and Swinley Forest are linked through the management of The Crown Estate, but are separate visitor destinations - with Swinley Forest being located near Bracknell, which is to the south west of Windsor Great Park and around 20 minutes from Windsor by road.

Mountain bikers, horse riders and dog walkers come together here to enjoy a natural environment that is very different to the more popular areas of Windsor Great Park. The undulating pine forest is perfect for thrill seekers - with mountain biking in particular being a very popular activity, since the creation of our three purpose-designed bike trails.

Visit our Mountain Biking page for more information.

Evolved from one of the largest Royal hunting woodlands, Swinley Forest is renowned for its exquisite beauty which stretches across thousands of acres. It shares Windsor Great Park’s Norman hunting forest traditions and rich history, with ‘Caesar’s Camp’ being one of the oldest examples. This hilltop fort dates back to the Iron Age, built by Britons almost 2,300 years ago.

Historically, the timber from these forests was used for ship construction and building. Today though, the forest is managed under a multi-purpose policy - integrating the conservation of wildlife, timber production and public access.

Activities in and around Swinley Forest

From thrilling adventures to educational hands-on science exhibitions, Swinley Forest is renowned for its unique range of activity and learning experiences. Its undulating trails are alive with adventurers looking to discover the excitement and natural beauty offered by this 3000 acres of rolling evergreen forest.

Leisure

If you are an intrepid mountain biker, then the twisting trails within our 2,500 acres offer the excitement you’ve been looking for.

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Adventure

Go Ape is the UK’s No. 1 forest adventure experience, giving friends and families the chance to get in touch with their inner Tarzan!

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Education

The Look Out Discovery Centre is a fantastic family day out, with over 90 hands-on science activities that are both fun and educational.

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Forestry

Swinley Forest provides a rare example of an outstanding area of recreation, wildlife, conservation and working woodland.

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Dedicated parking for our disabled visitors is available at the Swinley Forest car park. Accessible toilet facilities can be found at the Look Out Discovery Centre, which is located by the main entrance to Swinley Forest. The Look Out Discovery Centre also offers a range of facilities for disabled guests - including access via ramps, slopes and/or manual doors, and accessible changing rooms. More information can be found on the www.disabledgo.com website.

For Go Ape, while these courses are designed to be accessible to as many people as possible, they do offer a degree of mental and physical challenge, meaning that some persons with special needs may require additional equipment and/or levels of supervision in order to ensure safe participation. For more information, please download this useful Guidelines Leaflet.

Wildlife & Environmental Management

Swinley Forest forms part of the Thames Valley Special Protection Area, and The Crown Estate works closely with Natural England to protect this important habitat. 

This area is designated for its heathland habitats and is home to a number of rare and threatened bird species. You may be lucky enough to spot a Nightjar, Dartford Warbler and Woodlark as you walk, run or cycle through the varied landscape of heaths, grassland, lakes, ponds and woods - discovering something new around every corner.  With inspiring hilltop views and rare heathland habitats, Swinley Forest really does offer something for everyone.

To find out more about how we are protecting and developing Windsor Great Park, for the enjoyment of visitors for generations to come, please visit our Conservation and Stewardship page.

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Find key visitor information points, places of interest, restaurants, cafes and so much more.

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Why not explore Windsor Great Park as well, while you’re in the area?

The Savill Garden
Virginia Water
The Long Walk and Deer Park