National Forest Parks [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION National Forest Parks have been established by the Forestry Commission in the belief that where mountainsides or other open country have been acquired in connection with the planting of extensive new forests, the whole should be open for public enjoyment. The first such Park, that in Argyll, was opened in 1935, and there are now seven Forest Parks, four being wholly in Scotland, one on the borders of Scotland and England, one in North Wales, and another on the borders of Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire. Access to the Parks is governed by local by-laws, but virtually all that the visitor need remember is that he should follow the simple rules of the well-known Country Code. The Parks are centres of timber-growing enterprises of great importance to local and national economy, and are also the homes of farmers whose livelihood is drawn from their sheep and cattle. Gates must therefore be left as they are found, and particular care must be taken with fire in any shape or form; indeed, the lighting of fires, even as picnic stoves, is restricted to defined camping grounds. These Forest Parks are open to the visitor during daylight hours throughout the year. When passing through the woods he is expected to keep to roads, paths, or forest rides, but on the uplands above, or round about, he may take what route he pleases. Though local services are few, most of the Parks can be reached by railway, bus services, or steamers, and all have good access roads, with parking places at suitable points. To encourage those who wish to stay overnight, well-equipped camping grounds have been opened at all the Parks as described later. There are Youth Hostels in or near all the Parks, and most of them have good hotels nearby. Despite this ease of approach, the Parks hold great stretches of wilderness country— moor and mountain, where those who wish to get away from crowds and traffic may roam for hours in the solitudes of forest and hill enjoying some of Britain's grandest scenery. Included in these pages is an account of the New Forest, which though not a Forest Park provides similar scope for recreation and camping. There are also notes on two famous arboreta and one forest garden, which are open to the public. Illustrated guide books, listed on page 39, are available for most of these places. Here we can only set out their main attractions, say where they lie, and welcome you to some of the finest stretches of our countryside, which yearly draw thousands of appreciative visitors.