List of forests managed by the Forestry Commission
Forests in England
Table:
Name

Location

Size (hectares)

Description

References

Alice Holt Forest

Hampshire

850

A former Royal forest, Alice Holt is a multi-purpose forest. It is the headquarters for Forest Research and was the first Research Forest in Britain.

[6]

Bedford Purlieus

Cambridgeshire

208

Bedford Purlieus has been a nature reserve since 2000. It was once part of the Royal forest of Rockingham. The forest houses a large number of different plants and insect species.

[7][8]

Bedgebury Pinetum

Kent

320

Bedgebury Pinetum has the largest collection of Conifers in the world. It was started in the 1840s and experienced expansion under the control of the Forestry Commission and Kew Gardens from 1925. The Commission took sole ownership of the Pinetum in 1965.

[9][10]

Bernwood Forest

Oxfordshire

136

A former royal hunting forest, Bernwood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its diverse range of butterfly species.

[11][12]

Cannock Forest

Staffordshire

2300

Cannock Forest is within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of Cannock Chase. The Forestry Commission uses the forest for commercial and recreational purposes.

[13][14][15]

Cardinham Woods

Cornwall

260

Cardinham Woods have been managed by the Forestry Commission since 1922. The Commission maintains the woods for commercial purposes and general recreation.

[16][17]

Neroche Forest

Somerset

1000

Neroche Forest is within the Blackdown Hills. The forest is home to Castle Neroche and one of the Forestry Commission's forest school projects.

[18][19]

Dalby Forest

North Yorkshire

3440

Dalby Forest is within the North York Moors national park. It is home to several rare insect species.

[20][21][22]

Delamere Forest

Cheshire

972

Delamere is the largest forest in Cheshire, though was once part of the larger Forests of Mara and Mondrem. The Sandstone Trail passes through the forest.

[23][24]

Dunwich Forest

Suffolk

270

Dunwich Forest was primarily a commercial coniferous forest until 2006, when the Forestry Commission and partner organisations began to convert it to mixed woodland and heathland.

[25][26]

Dymock Woods

Gloucestershire

506

Dymock Woods contains a Site of Special Scientific Interest and some ancient woodland.

[27]

Forest of Bere

Hampshire

The Forestry Commission manages the remnants of the former royal forest of Bere. The Forest of Bere was one of the forests passed to the Commission upon its establishment in 1919. It has been a major timber forest, providing wood for shipbuilding and resulting in fluctuating forest cover.

[28][29]

Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire

12000

The Forest of Dean is an ancient forest. It contains the largest number of ancient oak trees anywhere in Britain.

[30][31]

Friston Forest

East Sussex

850

Friston Forest contains many walking and cycling routes. It is in the South Downs and is home to some rare butterflies.

[32][33]

Grizedale Forest

Cumbria

2447

Grizedale Forest is within the Lake District National Park, near Windermere. The forest is mainly recreational, with several biking trails and waymarked paths.

[34][35]

Guisborough Forest

North Yorkshire

468

Guisborough Forest is within the boundaries of the North York Moors.

[36][37]

Haldon Forest

Devon

3500

Haldon Forest Park provides a habitat for over 30 butterfly species and many birds of prey. The Forestry Commission maintains several walking an cycling trails across the forest.

[38][39]

Hamsterley Forest

County Durham

2000

The Forestry Commission claims that Hamsterley Forest is one of the most popular attractions in County Durham. The Forest has a large number of cycling and walking trails.

[40][41][42]

Kesteven Forest

Lincolnshire

Kesteven Forest covers several woods, including the Bourne Woods.

[43]

Kielder Forest

Northumberland

65000

Kielder is the largest artificial forest in England and remains one of the Forestry Commission's major timber producing forests. The forest has been under the management of the Commission since it was planted in the 1920s.

[44][45]

Considering the given table as well as the background passages provided at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: Warrington is the largest town in a county that is home to a Forestry Commission woodland that is how many acres ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Alice Holt Forest is a royal forest in Hampshire , situated some 4 miles ( 6.4 km ) south of Farnham , Surrey . Once predominantly an ancient oak forest , it was particularly noted in the 18th and 19th centuries for the timber it supplied for the building of ships for the Royal Navy . It is now planted mainly with conifers . The Forestry Commission took over the management of the forest in 1924 , and a research station was set up in 1946 in the Alice Holt Lodge , a former manor house . The forest is now part of the South Downs National Park , which was established on 31 March 2010 , and it forms the most northerly gateway to the park .
Hampshire ( /ˈhæmpʃər/ , /-ʃɪər/ ( listen ) ; postal abbreviation Hants . ) [ note 1 ] is a county in southern England . The county town is the city of Winchester . Its two largest cities , Southampton and Portsmouth , are administered separately as unitary authorities ; the rest of the county is governed by Hampshire County Council . First settled about 14,000 years ago , Hampshire 's history dates to Roman Britain , when its chief town was Winchester . When the Romans left Britain , the area was infiltrated by tribes from Scandinavia and mainland Europe , principally in the river valleys . The county was recorded in the 11th century Domesday Book , divided into 44 hundreds . From the 12th century , the ports grew in importance , fuelled by trade with the continent , wool and cloth manufacture in the county , and the fishing industry , and a shipbuilding industry was established . By the 16th century , the population of Southampton had outstripped that of Winchester . By the mid-19th century , with the county 's population at 219,210 ( double that at the beginning of the century ) in more than 86,000 dwellings , agriculture was the principal industry and 10 per cent of the county was still forest . Hampshire played a crucial military role in both World Wars . The Isle of Wight , historically part of Hampshire , became a separate ceremonial county in 1974 .
A royal forest , occasionally Kingswood , is an area of land with different definitions in England , Wales , and Scotland . The term forest in the ordinary modern understanding refers to an area of wooded land ; however , the original medieval sense was closer to the modern idea of a preserve - i.e . land legally set aside for specific purposes such as royal hunting - with less emphasis on its composition . There are also differing and contextual interpretations in Continental Europe derived from the Carolingian and Merovingian legal systems . In Anglo-Saxon England , though the kings were great huntsmen they never set aside areas declared to be outside ( Latin foris ) the law of the land . Historians find no evidence of the Anglo-Saxon monarchs ( c. 500 to 1066 ) creating forests . However , under the Norman kings ( after 1066 ) , by royal prerogative forest law was widely applied . The law was designed to protect the venison and the vert , the noble animals of the chase - notably red and fallow deer , the roe deer , and the wild boar - and the greenery that sustained them . Forests were designed as hunting areas reserved for the monarch or ( by invitation ) the aristocracy ( see medieval hunting ) . The concept was introduced by the Normans to England in the 11th century , and at the height of this practice in the late 12th and early 13th centuries , fully one-third of the land area of southern England was designated as royal forest ; at one stage in the 12th century , all of Essex was afforested , and on his accession Henry II declared all of Huntingdonshire forest . Afforestation , in particular the creation of the New Forest , figured large in the folk history of the Norman yoke , which magnified what was already a grave social ill : the picture of prosperous settlements disrupted , houses burned , peasants evicted , all to serve the pleasure of the foreign tyrant , is a familiar element in the English national story . The extent and intensity of hardship and of depopulation have been exaggerated , H. R. Loyn observed .
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly-owned forests , and the regulation of both public and private forestry , in England . It was formerly also responsible for Forestry in Wales and Scotland , however on 1 April 2013 Forestry Commission Wales merged with other agencies to become Natural Resources Wales , whilst two new bodies ( Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry ) were established in Scotland on 1 April 2019 . The commission was set up in 1919 to expand Britain 's forests and woodland after depletion during the First World War . To do this , the commission bought large amounts of former agricultural land , eventually becoming the largest land owner in Britain . The Commission is divided into three divisions : Forestry England , Forestry Commission and Forest Research . Over time the purpose of the Commission broadened to include many other activities beyond timber production . One major activity is scientific research , some of which is carried out in research forests across Britain . Recreation is also important , with several outdoor activities being actively promoted . Protecting and improving biodiversity across England 's forests are also part of the Forestry Commission 's remit . The Commission received criticism for its reliance on conifers , particularly the uniform appearance of conifer forests and concerns over a lack of biodiversity . Protests from the general public and conservation groups accompanied attempts to privatise the organisation in 1993 and 2010 .
Bedford Purlieus is a 211-hectare ( 520-acre ) ancient woodland in Cambridgeshire , in the United Kingdom . It is a national nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest owned and managed by the Forestry Commission . In Thornhaugh civil parish , 10 km ( 6.2 mi ) south of Stamford and 14 km ( 8.7 mi ) west of Peterborough , the wood is within the Peterborough unitary authority area of Cambridgeshire , and borders Northamptonshire . In Roman times it was an iron smelting centre , during the medieval period it was in the Royal Forest of Rockingham , and later it became part of the estates of the Duke of Bedford . Bedford Purlieus appears to have been continuously wooded at least from Roman times , and probably since the ice receded . The woodland may have the richest range of vascular plants of any English lowland wood . It acquired particular significance in the 1970s as an early subject for the historical approach to ecology and woodland management .
Cambridgeshire ( abbreviated Cambs . ) [ note 1 ] is a county in the East of England , bordering Lincolnshire to the north , Norfolk to the north-east , Suffolk to the east , Essex and Hertfordshire to the south , and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west . The city of Cambridge is the county town . Modern Cambridgeshire was formed in 1974 as an amalgamation of the counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely and Huntingdon and Peterborough , the former covering the historic county of Cambridgeshire ( including the Isle of Ely ) and the latter covering the historic county of Huntingdonshire and the Soke of Peterborough , historically part of Northamptonshire . It contains most of the region known as Silicon Fen . Local government is divided between Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council , which , since 1998 , forms a separate unitary authority . Under the county council , there are five district councils , Cambridge City Council , South Cambridgeshire District Council , East Cambridgeshire District Council , Huntingdonshire District Council and Fenland District Council .
Rockingham Forest is a former royal hunting forest in the county of Northamptonshire , England . It is an area of some 200 sq mi ( 500 km2 ) lying between the River Welland and River Nene and the towns of Stamford and Kettering . It has a rich and varied landscape , with farmland , open pasture , pockets of woodland and villages built from local stone .
Bedgebury National Pinetum at Bedgebury , Kent , in the United Kingdom , is a recreational and conservational arboretum and , with the National Arboretum at Westonbirt , comprises the UK National Arboreta . It was established as the National Conifer Collection in 1925 and is now recognised as the most complete collection of conifers on one site anywhere in the world . The collection has over 10,000 trees growing across 320 acres ( 1.3 km2 ) , including rare , endangered and historically important specimens . Bedgebury National Pinetum conducts conservation work and is home to some 56 vulnerable or critically endangered species and houses five NCCPG National Plant Collections .
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties . It borders Greater London to the north-west , Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west . The county also shares borders with Essex along the estuary of the River Thames ( connected by land via High Speed 1 and the Dartford Crossing ) , and with the French department of Pas-de-Calais through the Channel Tunnel . The county town is Maidstone . Kent was among the first British territories conquered and settled by Anglo-Saxons . Canterbury Cathedral in Kent has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury , leader of the Church of England , since the Reformation . Prior to that it was built by Catholics , dating back to the conversion of England to Catholicism by Saint Augustine that began in the 6th century . Before the English Reformation the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church , Canterbury , as well as being the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury . The last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury was Reginald Pole . Rochester Cathedral is also in Kent , in Medway . It is the second-oldest cathedral in England , with Canterbury Cathedral being the oldest . Between London and the Strait of Dover , which separates it from mainland Europe , Kent has seen both diplomacy and conflict , ranging from the Leeds Castle peace talks of 1978 and 2004 to the Battle of Britain in World War II .
The Pinophyta , also known as Coniferophyta or Coniferae , or commonly as conifers , are a division of vascular land plants containing a single extant class , Pinopsida . They are gymnosperms , cone-bearing seed plants . All extant conifers are perennial woody plants with secondary growth . The great majority are trees , though a few are shrubs . Examples include cedars , Douglas firs , cypresses , firs , junipers , kauri , larches , pines , hemlocks , redwoods , spruces , and yews . As of 1998 , the division Pinophyta was estimated to contain eight families , 68 genera , and 629 living species . [ citation needed ] Although the total number of species is relatively small , conifers are ecologically important . They are the dominant plants over large areas of land , most notably the taiga of the Northern Hemisphere , but also in similar cool climates in mountains further south . Boreal conifers have many wintertime adaptations . The narrow conical shape of northern conifers , and their downward-drooping limbs , help them shed snow . Many of them seasonally alter their biochemistry to make them more resistant to freezing . While tropical rainforests have more biodiversity and turnover , the immense conifer forests of the world represent the largest terrestrial carbon sink .
Kew Gardens is a botanic garden in southwest London that houses the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world . Founded in 1840 , from the exotic garden at Kew Park in Middlesex , England , its living collections includes some of the 27,000 taxa curated by Royal Botanic Gardens , Kew , while the herbarium , which is one of the largest in the world , has over 8.5 million preserved plant and fungal specimens . The library contains more than 750,000 volumes , and the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants . It is one of London 's top tourist attractions and is a World Heritage Site . Kew Gardens , together with the botanic gardens at Wakehurst in Sussex , are managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens , Kew , an internationally important botanical research and education institution that employs over 1,100 staff and is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment , Food and Rural Affairs . The Kew site , which has been dated as formally starting in 1759 , though it can be traced back to the exotic garden at Kew Park , formed by Henry , Lord Capell of Tewkesbury , consists of 132 hectares ( 330 acres ) of gardens and botanical glasshouses , four Grade I listed buildings , and 36 Grade II listed structures , all set in an internationally significant landscape . It is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens . Kew Gardens has its own police force , Kew Constabulary , which has been in operation since 1847 .
Bernwood Forest was one of several forests of the ancient Kingdom of England and was a Royal hunting forest . It is thought to have been set aside as Royal hunting land when the Anglo-Saxon kings had a palace at Brill and church in Oakley , in the 10th century and was a particularly favoured place of Edward the Confessor , who was born in nearby Islip . From about 1217 through to the 17th century the forest went through a gradual period of deforestation . King Henry II ( reigned 1154-1189 ) prepared a map of the forest at the time which is an invaluable tool in helping define its ancient boundaries ; however , his purpose for drawing up the map was to divide the forest amongst his nobles . By the 16th century , another map of the forest had been drawn up by which time it had been reduced greatly in size . Again , the map was drawn up under the aegis of the Crown as an audit to what revenue could be made from selling off the forest . By the reign of King James I ( reigned 1603-1625 ) , the forest had lost its Royal status and had completely disappeared . Today the name refers to the area of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire where the forest was at the time of King Henry II , covering 400 km² . The approximate boundaries of the designated area today fall within the River Great Ouse , the Padbury Brook , the Claydon Brook and the River Thame . The small modern Bernwood Forest in Buckinghamshire is approximately 1 km² and is contiguous with Hell Coppice , York 's Wood , Oakley Wood and Shabbington Wood . [ Note 1 ] A Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) called Shabbington Woods Complex , it supports a wide variety of wildlife and is one of the most important butterfly sites in the United Kingdom . Its owners , the Forestry Commission , originally had a more commercial approach .
Oxfordshire ( abbreviated Oxon , from Oxonium , the Latin name for Oxford ) is a county in South East England . The ceremonial county borders Warwickshire to the north-west , Northamptonshire to the north-east , Buckinghamshire to the east , Berkshire to the south , Wiltshire to the south-west and Gloucestershire to the west . The county has major education and tourist industries and is noted for the concentration of performance motorsport companies and facilities . Oxford University Press is the largest firm among a concentration of print and publishing firms ; the University of Oxford is also linked to the concentration of local biotechnology companies . As well as the city of Oxford , other centres of population are Banbury , Bicester , Kidlington and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford ; Carterton and Witney to the west ; Thame and Chinnor to the east ; and Abingdon-on-Thames , Wantage , Didcot , Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames to the south . The areas south of the Thames , the Vale of White Horse and parts of South Oxfordshire , are in the historic county of Berkshire , as is the highest point , the 261 metres ( 856 ft ) White Horse Hill . Oxfordshire 's county flower is the snake's-head fritillary .
A Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest ( ASSI ) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man . SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them , including national nature reserves , Ramsar sites , Special Protection Areas , and Special Areas of Conservation . The acronym SSSI is often pronounced triple-S I .
Cannock Chase ( grid reference SK000165 ) is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire , England . The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The Chase gives its name to the Cannock Chase local government district . It is a former Royal forest .
Staffordshire ( /ˈstæfərdʃɪər , -ʃər/ ; postal abbreviation Staffs . ) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands of England . It borders Cheshire to the northwest , Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east , Warwickshire to the southeast , West Midlands and Worcestershire to the south , and Shropshire to the west . The largest settlement in Staffordshire is Stoke-on-Trent , which is administered as an independent unitary authority , separately from the rest of the county . Lichfield , a smaller settlement , is a cathedral city . Other major settlements include Stafford , Burton upon Trent , Cannock , Newcastle-under-Lyme , Rugeley , Leek , and Tamworth . Smaller towns include Stone , Cheadle , Uttoxeter , Burntwood/Chasetown , Eccleshall , Biddulph , Penkridge and the large villages of Wombourne , Kinver , Tutbury , Alrewas , Barton-under-Needwood , Stretton and Abbots Bromley . Cannock Chase AONB is within the county as well as parts of the National Forest and the Peak District national park . Wolverhampton , Walsall , West Bromwich and Smethwick are within the historic county boundaries of Staffordshire , but since 1974 have been part of the West Midlands county . Apart from Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire is divided into the districts of Cannock Chase , East Staffordshire , Lichfield , Newcastle-under-Lyme , South Staffordshire , Stafford , Staffordshire Moorlands , and Tamworth .
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( AONB ) is an area of countryside in England , Wales or Northern Ireland which has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value . Areas are designated in recognition of their national importance , by the relevant public body : Natural England , Natural Resources Wales , or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency . In place of AONB , Scotland uses the similar national scenic area ( NSA ) designation . Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty enjoy levels of protection from development similar to those of UK national parks , but unlike with national parks the responsible bodies do not have their own planning powers . They also differ from national parks in their more limited opportunities for extensive outdoor recreation .
Cardinham ( Cornish : Kardhinan ) ( the spelling 'Cardynham ' is almost obsolete ) is a civil parish and a village in mid Cornwall , England , United Kingdom . The village is situated approximately three-and-a-half miles ( 6 km ) , east-northeast of Bodmin . The hamlets of Fletchersbridge , Millpool , Milltown , Mount , Old Cardinham Castle and Welltown are in the parish . Large areas which were once deciduous woodland are now plantations of conifers known as Cardinham Woods and managed by the Forestry Commission . Edmund John Glynn , of Glynn House in the parish , rebuilt the house at Glynn in 1805 ( it has a front of nine bays and a portico ) .
Cornwall ( /ˈkɔːrnwɔːl , -wəl/ ; Cornish : Kernow [ ˈkɛrnɔʊ ] ) is a ceremonial county in South West England , bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea , to the south by the English Channel , and to the east by Devon , the River Tamar forming the border between them . Cornwall is the westernmost part of the South West Peninsula of the island of Great Britain . The southwesternmost point is Land 's End and the southernmost Lizard Point . Cornwall has a population of 568,210 and an area of 3,563 km2 ( 1,376 sq mi ) . The county has been administered since 2009 by the unitary authority , Cornwall Council . The ceremonial county of Cornwall also includes the Isles of Scilly , which are administered separately . The administrative centre of Cornwall is Truro , its only city . Cornwall is the homeland of the Cornish people and the cultural and ethnic origin of the Cornish diaspora . It retains a distinct cultural identity that reflects its history , and is recognised as one of the Celtic nations . It was formerly a Brythonic kingdom and subsequently a royal duchy . The Cornish nationalist movement contests the present constitutional status of Cornwall and seeks greater autonomy within the United Kingdom in the form of a devolved legislative Cornish Assembly with powers similar to those in Wales and Scotland . In 2014 , Cornish people were granted minority status under the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities , giving them recognition as a distinct ethnic group .
Castle Neroche is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle on the site of an earlier hill fort in the parish of Curland , near Staple Fitzpaine , Somerset , England . It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument .
Somerset ( /ˈsʌmərsɛt/ ( listen ) or locally /ˈzʌmərzɛt/ ; archaically , Somersetshire ) is a county in South West England which borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north , Wiltshire to the east , Dorset to the south-east and Devon to the south-west . It is bounded to the north and west by the Severn Estuary and the Bristol Channel , its coastline facing southeastern Wales . Its traditional border with Gloucestershire is the River Avon . Somerset 's county town is Taunton . Somerset is a rural county of rolling hills , the Blackdown Hills , Mendip Hills , Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park , and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels . There is evidence of human occupation from Paleolithic times , and of subsequent settlement by the Celts , Romans and Anglo-Saxons . The county played a significant part in Alfred the Great 's rise to power , and later the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion . The city of Bath is famous for its Georgian architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
The Blackdown Hills are a range of hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England , which were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( AONB ) in 1991 . The plateau is dominated by hard chert bands of Upper Greensand with some remnants of chalk , and is cut through by river valleys . The hills support an extensive range of wildlife leading to the designation of 16 Sites of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSIs ) . There is evidence of human occupation since the Iron Age . Fortifications include the remains of ancient hill forts , Norman motte-and-bailey castles and Second World War airfields . There are also religious buildings such as Dunkeswell Abbey and village churches . The hills are crossed by a network of minor roads with major transport routes including the M5 motorway running around the periphery .
Forest school is an outdoor education delivery model in which students visit natural spaces to learn personal , social and technical skills . It has been defined as an inspirational process that offers children , young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence through hands-on learning in a woodland environment . Forest school is both a pedagogy and a physical entity , with the use often being interchanged . The plural schools is often used when referring to a number of groups or sessions . Forest school uses the woods and forests as a means to build independence and self-esteem in children and young adults.Topics are cross-curriculum ( broad in subject ) including the natural environment , for example the role of trees in society , the complex ecosystem supported by a wilderness , and recognition of specific plants and animals . However , the personal skills are considered highly valuable , such as teamwork and problem solving . The woodland environment may be used to learn about more abstract concepts such as mathematics and communication . Forest school provision is also called nature schools .
Dalby Forest is a forest located on the southern slopes of the North York Moors National Park in North Yorkshire , England . It is maintained by the UK Forestry Commission . Dalby Forest , along with Langdale Forest and Cropton Forest , forms part of the North Riding Forest Park , found within the North York Moors National Park .
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan county ( or shire county ) and the largest ceremonial county in England by area . It is located primarily in the region of Yorkshire and the Humber but partly in the region of North East England . The estimated ( by ONS ) population of North Yorkshire was 602,300 in mid-2016 ( not including the unitary districts of York , Middlesbrough , Stockton and Redcar & Cleveland ) . Created by the Local Government Act 1972 , it covers an area of 8,654 square kilometres ( 3,341 sq mi ) , making it the largest county in England . The majority of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors lie within North Yorkshire 's boundaries , and around 40% of the county is covered by National Parks . The largest towns are Middlesbrough ( 174,700 ) , York ( 152,841 ) , Harrogate ( 73,576 ) and Scarborough ( 61,749 ) ; the county town , Northallerton , has a population of 16,832 .
The North York Moors is an upland area in North Yorkshire , England , containing one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom . The North York Moors National Park was designated in 1952 , through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 . The National Park covers an area of 554 sq mi ( 1,430 km2 ) , and has a population of 23,380 .
Delamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a large wood near the village of Delamere in Cheshire , England . The woodland , which is managed by the Forestry Commission , covers an area of 972 hectares ( 2,400 acres ) making it the largest area of woodland in the county . It contains a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees . Delamere , which means forest of the lakes , is all that remains of the great Forests of Mara and Mondrem which covered over 60 square miles ( 160 km2 ) of this part of Cheshire . Established in the late 11th century , they were the hunting forests of the Norman Earls of Chester . Order was maintained under forest law . However this governance limited the agricultural potential of the area for centuries . It was not until ownership passed to The Crown in 1812 that the ancient ordinances were abolished . In 1924 the woodland came under the control of the Forestry Commission . The area also includes Old Pale hill , the high point of the northern mass of the Mid Cheshire Ridge , and Blakemere Moss , a lake around 1 kilometre ( 0.62 mi ) in length . Black Lake , a rare example of quaking bog or schwingmoor , has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) and forms part of an international Ramsar site ; Linmer Moss has also been designated an SSSI for its fenland habitat . The white-faced darter , a species of dragonfly rare in the UK , and marsh fern and white sedge , wetland plants that are rare in Cheshire , are found here .
Cheshire ( /ˈtʃɛʃər , -ɪər/ CHESH-ər , -⁠eer ; archaically the County Palatine of Chester ) is a county in North West England , bordering Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north , Derbyshire to the east , Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south , and Flintshire and Wrexham County Borough in Wales to the west . Cheshire 's county town is the City of Chester ( 118,200 ) ; the largest town is Warrington ( 209,700 ) . Other major towns include Crewe ( 71,722 ) , Runcorn ( 61,789 ) , Widnes ( 61,464 ) , Ellesmere Port ( 55,715 ) , Macclesfield ( 52,044 ) , Winsford ( 32,610 ) and Northwich ( 19,924 ) . The county covers 905 square miles ( 2,344 km2 ) and has a population of around 1 million . It is mostly rural , with a number of small towns and villages supporting the agricultural and other industries which produce Cheshire cheese , salt , chemicals and silk .
The Forests of Mara and Mondrem were adjacent medieval forests in Cheshire , England , which in the 11th century extended to over 60 square miles ( 160 km2 ) , stretching from the Mersey in the north almost to Nantwich in the south , and from the Gowy in the west to the Weaver in the east . Mara and Mondrem were a hunting forest of the Norman Earls of Chester , established soon after 1071 by the first earl , Hugh d'Avranches . They might earlier have been an Anglo-Saxon hunting forest . Game included wild boar , and red , fallow and roe deer . After the earldom lapsed in 1237 , the forest rights passed to the Crown , with the monarch 's heir being given the title of Earl of Chester . Edward I and James I both hunted in the forests . Clearance for agricultural use began to be permitted after 1215 , and by the mid-14th century , large areas of the Forest of Mondrem had been cleared . Deer hunting still continued within the remaining forest in the 17th century , and the forest was not formally disafforested , or removed from forest law , until 1812 . The modern Delamere Forest is the remnant of the medieval forests , but little ancient woodland survives .
The Sandstone Trail is a 55-kilometre ( 34 mi ) long-distance walkers ' path , following sandstone ridges running north-south from Frodsham in central Cheshire to Whitchurch just over the Shropshire border . The path was created in 1974 and extended in the 1990s . Much of the route follows the Mid Cheshire Ridge but in places the trail also passes through the Cheshire Plain , including farmland , woodland and canal towpaths .
Dunwich Forest is an area of forest and lowland heath around 1 mile ( 1.6 km ) north-east of the village of Dunwich in the English county of Suffolk . The forest covers an area of around 9 square kilometres ( 900 ha ; 3.5 sq mi ) and was originally planted by the Forestry Commission . The forest is within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is in the area known as the Suffolk Sandlings . South of the reserve is the National Trust property of Dunwich Heath , one of the largest remaining areas of lowland heath on the Suffolk coast , and the RSPB reserve at Minsmere . To the north and east of the forest are Dingle Marshes , part of the Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve . The Forestry Commission purchased land from the Dunwich and Westleton estates during the 1920s . Following the acquisition of this land , they began an afforestation programme to develop a conifer plantation , which became Dunwich Forest . The forest is now a mix of broadleaved and coniferous woodland with some areas of more open heath . In 2006 the Forestry Commission began work on a rewilding programme at Dunwich . Working with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds , they plan to gradually replace conifers in the northern area of the forest with broad-leaved trees and to convert areas in the south of the forest to lowland heath , one of the rarest British habitats . Suffolk Wildlife Trust has introduced Dartmoor ponies to the northern area which it manages as a reserve 270 hectares ( 670 acres ) in size .
Suffolk ( /ˈsʌfək/ ) is an East Anglian county of historic origin in England . It has borders with Norfolk to the north , Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south . The North Sea lies to the east . The county town is Ipswich ; other important towns include Lowestoft , Bury St Edmunds , Newmarket , and Felixstowe , one of the largest container ports in Europe . The county is low-lying but it has quite a few hills ( especially more to the west ) , and has largely arable land with the wetlands of the Broads in the north . The Suffolk Coast and Heaths are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty .
Dymock Woods ( grid reference SO684288 , SO692290 , SO697283 ) is a 53-hectare ( 130-acre ) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire , notified in 1990 . The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review ' as a Key Wildlife Site ( KWS ) . The site is divided into three units of assessment and includes the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserve known as Betty Daw 's Wood which is unit 3 .
Gloucestershire ( /ˈɡlɒstərʃər/ ( listen ) , /-ʃɪər/ ( listen ) ; formerly abbreviated as Gloucs . in print but now often as Glos . ) is a county in South West England . The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills , part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn , and the entire Forest of Dean . The county town is the city of Gloucester , and other principal towns include Cheltenham , Stroud , Tewkesbury , Cirencester and Dursley . Gloucestershire borders Herefordshire to the north west , Wiltshire to the south , Bristol and Somerset to the south west , Worcestershire to the north , Oxfordshire to the east , Warwickshire to the north east , and the Welsh county of Monmouthshire to the west .
The Forest of Bere is a mixed-use partially forested area in Hampshire immediately north of Fareham , Portsmouth and Roman Road , Havant and including a small part of the South Downs National Park . The former uninterrupted forest is now a mix of woodland , open space , ponds , streams , heathland , farmland and downland interspersed by minor villages and the major settlements of Waterlooville ( with Cowplain ) and Eastleigh ( with Chandlers Ford ) . There are a number of paths and bridleways for walking and cycling . In the southern portion , towards the area south of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park , conifer plantations were created in the twentieth century .
The Forest of Dean is a geographical , historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire , England . It forms a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and northwest , Herefordshire to the north , the River Severn to the south , and the City of Gloucester to the east . The area is characterised by more than 110 square kilometres ( 42 sq mi ) of mixed woodland , one of the surviving ancient woodlands in England . A large area was reserved for royal hunting before 1066 , and remained as the second largest crown forest in England , the largest being New Forest . Although the name is used loosely to refer to the part of Gloucestershire between the Severn and Wye , the Forest of Dean proper has covered a much smaller area since the Middle Ages . In 1327 it was defined to cover only the royal demesne and parts of parishes within the hundred of St Briavels , and after 1668 comprised the royal demesne only . The Forest proper is within the civil parishes of West Dean , Lydbrook , Cinderford , Ruspidge , and Drybrook , together with a strip of land in the parish of English Bicknor . Traditionally the main sources of work have been forestry - including charcoal production - iron working and coal mining . Archaeological studies have dated the earliest use of coal to Roman times for domestic heating and industrial processes such as the preparation of iron ore . The area gives its name to the local government district , Forest of Dean , and a parliamentary constituency , both of which cover wider areas than the historic Forest . The administrative centre of the local authority is Coleford , one of the main towns in the historic Forest area , together with Cinderford and Lydney .
An old-growth forest - also termed primary forest , virgin forest , primeval forest , late seral forest , or forest primeval - is a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance and thereby exhibits unique ecological features and might be classified as a climax community . Old-growth features include diverse tree-related structures that provide diverse wildlife habitat that increases the biodiversity of the forested ecosystem . The concept of diverse tree structure includes multi-layered canopies and canopy gaps , greatly varying tree heights and diameters , and diverse tree species and classes and sizes of woody debris . Old-growth forests are valuable for economic reasons and for the ecosystem services they provide . This can be a point of contention when some in the logging industry desire to cut down the forests to obtain valuable timber , while environmentalists seek to preserve the forests for benefits such as maintenance of biodiversity , water purification , flood control , and nutrient cycling . Proforestation - the practice of purposefully growing an existing forest intact toward its full ecological potential - aims to promote old-growth forests .
East Sussex is a county in South East England . It is bordered by the counties of Kent to the north and east , West Sussex to the west , and Surrey to the north-west , as well as the English Channel to the south .
The South Downs are a range of chalk hills that extends for about 260 square miles ( 670 km2 ) across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head , in the Eastbourne Downland Estate , East Sussex , in the east . The Downs are bounded on the northern side by a steep escarpment , from whose crest there are extensive views northwards across the Weald . The South Downs National Park forms a much larger area than the chalk range of the South Downs and includes large parts of the Weald . The South Downs are characterised by rolling chalk downland with close-cropped turf and dry valleys , and are recognised as one of the most important chalk landscapes in England . The range is one of the four main areas of chalk downland in southern England . The South Downs are relatively less populated compared to South East England as a whole , although there has been large-scale urban encroachment onto the chalk downland by major seaside resorts , including most notably Brighton and Hove . The South Downs have been inhabited since ancient times and at periods the area has supported a large population , particularly during Romano-British times . There is a rich heritage of historical features and archaeological remains , including defensive sites , burial mounds and field boundaries . Within the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area there are thirty-seven Sites of Special Scientific Interest , including large areas of chalk grassland . The grazing of sheep on the thin , well-drained chalk soils of the Downs over many centuries and browsing by rabbits resulted in the fine , short , springy turf , known as old chalk grassland , that has come to epitomise the South Downs today . Until the middle of the 20th century , an agricultural system operated by downland farmers known as 'sheep-and-corn farming ' underpinned this : the sheep ( most famously the Southdown breed ) of villagers would be systematically confined to certain corn fields to improve their fertility with their droppings and then they would be let out onto the downland to graze . However , starting in 1940 with government measures during World War II to increase domestic food production and continuing into the 1950s , much grassland was ploughed up for arable farming , fundamentally changing the landscape and ecology , with the loss of much biodiversity .
Grizedale Forest is a 24.47 km² area of woodland in the Lake District of North West England , located to the east of Coniston Water and to the south of Hawkshead . It is made up of a number of hills , small tarns and the settlements of Grizedale and Satterthwaite . It is managed by the Forestry Commission and is a popular tourist destination with waymarked footpaths , mountain biking , an aerial assault course , a 16-bed hostel , and a visitor centre with a children 's playground , education centre , café and shop . The car-parking of Grizedale Forest Visitors Centre is situated on the site of the former Grizedale Hall where its remains can be still seen . The forest is also used for two annual rallies : the Malcolm Wilson Rally and the Grizedale Stages Rally , based in Coniston .
Cumbria ( /ˈkʌmbriə/ KUM-bree-ə ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England . The county and Cumbria County Council , its local government , came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972 . Cumbria 's county town is Carlisle , in the north of the county , and the only other major urban area is Barrow-in-Furness on the southwestern tip of the county . The county of Cumbria consists of six districts ( Allerdale , Barrow-in-Furness , Carlisle , Copeland , Eden , and South Lakeland ) and in 2008 had a population of just under 500,000 people . Cumbria is one of the most sparsely populated counties in England , with 73.4 people per km2 ( 190/sq mi ) . Cumbria is the third largest county in England by area , and is bounded to the north by the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders , to the west by the Irish Sea , to the south by Lancashire , to the southeast by North Yorkshire , and to the east by County Durham and Northumberland . Cumbria is predominantly rural and contains the Lake District National Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered one of England 's finest areas of natural beauty , serving as inspiration for artists , writers , and musicians . A large area of the southeast of the county is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park while the east of the county fringes the North Pennines AONB . Much of Cumbria is mountainous , and it contains every peak in England over 3,000 feet ( 910 m ) above sea level , with Scafell Pike at 3,209 feet ( 978 m ) being the highest point of England . An upland , coastal , and rural area , Cumbria 's history is characterised by invasions , migration , and settlement , as well as battles and skirmishes between the English and the Scots . Notable historic sites in Cumbria include Carlisle Castle , Furness Abbey , Hardknott Roman Fort , Brough Castle and Hadrian 's Wall ( also a World Heritage Site ) .
The Lake District National Park is a national park in North West England that includes all of the central Lake District , though the town of Kendal , some coastal areas , and the Lakeland Peninsulas are outside the park boundary . The area was designated a national park on 9 May 1951 ( less than a month after the first UK national park designation - the Peak District ) . It retained its original boundaries until 2016 when it was extended by 3% in the direction of the Yorkshire Dales National Park to incorporate areas such as land of high landscape value in the Lune Valley . It is the most visited national park in the United Kingdom with 16.4 million visitors per year and more than 24 million visitor-days per year , the largest of the thirteen national parks in England and Wales , and the second largest in the UK after the Cairngorms National Park . Its aim is to protect the landscape by restricting unwelcome change by industry or commerce . Most of the land in the park is in private ownership , with about 55% registered as agricultural land . Landowners include :
Windermere is the largest natural lake in England . It is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial period . It has been one of the country 's most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere Railway 's branch line in 1847 . Historically forming part of the border between Lancashire and Westmorland , it is now within the county of Cumbria and the Lake District National Park .
Haldon Forest is a forest located in the Haldon_Hills , Devon , England . The forest consists of several different woods . Geographically , Haldon Forest is located between the towns of Chudleigh and Exminster and is south of Exeter .
Devon ( /ˈdɛvən/ ) , also known as Devonshire , is a county of England , reaching from the Bristol Channel in the north to the English Channel in the south . It is part of South West England , bounded by Cornwall to the west , Somerset to the north east , and Dorset to the east . The city of Exeter is the county town . The county includes the districts of East Devon , Mid Devon , North Devon , South Hams , Teignbridge , Torridge , and West Devon . Plymouth and Torbay are each geographically part of Devon , but are administered as unitary authorities . Combined as a ceremonial county , Devon 's area is 6,707 km2 ( 2,590 square miles ) and its population is about 1.1 million . Devon derives its name from Dumnonia . During the British Iron Age , Roman Britain , and the early Middle Ages , this was the homeland of the Dumnonii Brittonic Celts . ( The shift from M to V is a typical Celtic consonant shift . ) The Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain resulted in the partial assimilation of Dumnonia into the Kingdom of Wessex during the eighth and ninth centuries . The western boundary with Cornwall was set at the River Tamar by King Æthelstan in 936 . Devon was later constituted as a shire of the Kingdom of England .
Hamsterley Forest is a commercial forest in County Durham operated by the Forestry Commission . It is the largest forest in County Durham and covers more than 2,000 hectares ( 4,900 acres ) . Recreational activities are promoted within the forest and are focused at the eastern end , around the visitors centre . In addition to the visitors ' centre , there is an adjacent cafe , an education room , toilet facilities , and an independent bike shop called Wood ' n'Wheels , which also hires out bikes .
County Durham ( /ˈdʌrəm/ , locally /ˈdɜrəm/ listen ) [ note 1 ] is a county in North East England . The county town is Durham , a cathedral city . County Durham can refer to the modern ceremonial county , the smaller area of a unitary authority , or the historic county with different boundaries . The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is Darlington , closely followed by Hartlepool , Billingham and Stockton-on-Tees . It borders Tyne and Wear to the north east , Northumberland to the north , Cumbria to the west and North Yorkshire to the south . The area of the unitary authority , Durham County Council , does not include Darlington , Hartlepool or Stockton-on-Tees . The historic county 's boundaries stretch between the rivers Tyne and Tees , thus including places such as Gateshead , Jarrow , South Shields and Sunderland , but do not include the part of the modern county south of the Tees . During the Middle Ages , the county was an ecclesiastical centre , due largely to the presence of St Cuthbert 's shrine in Durham Cathedral , and the extensive powers granted to the Bishop of Durham as ruler of the County Palatine of Durham . The county has a mixture of mining , farming and heavy railway heritage , with the latter especially noteworthy in the southeast of the county , in Darlington , Shildon and Stockton . It is an area of regeneration and promoted as a tourist destination ; in the centre of the city of Durham , Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral are UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites .
Lincolnshire ( abbreviated Lincs . ) is a county in eastern England , with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east . It borders Norfolk to the south east , Cambridgeshire to the south , Rutland to the south west , Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west , South Yorkshire to the north west , and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north . It also borders Northamptonshire in the south for just 20 yards ( 19 m ) , England 's shortest county boundary . The county town is the city of Lincoln , where the county council has its headquarters . The ceremonial county of Lincolnshire is composed of the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire and the area covered by the unitary authorities of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire . Part of the ceremonial county is in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England , and most is in the East Midlands region . The county is the second-largest of the English ceremonial counties and one that is predominantly agricultural in land use . The county is fourth-largest of the two-tier counties , as the unitary authorities of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are not included . The county has several geographical sub-regions , including the rolling chalk hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds . In the southeast are the Lincolnshire Fens ( southeast Lincolnshire ) , the Carrs ( similar to the Fens but in north Lincolnshire ) , the industrial Humber Estuary and North Sea coast around Grimsby and Scunthorpe , and in the southwest of the county , the Kesteven Uplands , comprising rolling limestone hills in the district of South Kesteven .
Bourne Woods are situated near Bourne , Lincolnshire , England , and includes Bourne Wood and Fox Wood . Bourne Wood ( National Grid reference TF0821 ; Co-ordinates : O°24 ' W , 52°46 ' N ) and Fox Wood are owned by The Forestry Commission and managed by Forest Enterprise ( England ) as part of Kesteven Forest .
Kielder Forest is a large forestry plantation in Northumberland , England , surrounding Kielder village and the Kielder Water reservoir . It is the largest man-made woodland in England with three-quarters of its 250 square miles ( 650 km2 ) covered by forest . The majority of the forest lies within the Border Forest Park , with the southern tip known as Wark Forest lying within Northumberland National Park .
Northumberland ( /nɔːrˈθʌmbərlənd/ ) is a unitary authority and historic county in North East England . The northernmost county of England , the unitary authority borders Cumbria to the west , County Durham and Tyne and Wear to the south and the Scottish Borders to the north . To the east is the North Sea coastline with a path 103 kilometres ( 64 mi ) long . The county town is Alnwick , although the county council is based in Morpeth . The county of Northumberland included Newcastle upon Tyne until 1400 , when the city became a county of itself . Northumberland expanded greatly in the Tudor period , annexing Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1482 , Tynedale in 1495 , Tynemouth in 1536 , Redesdale around 1542 and Hexhamshire in 1572 . Islandshire , Bedlingtonshire and Norhamshire were incorporated into Northumberland in 1844 . Tynemouth and other settlements in North Tyneside were transferred to Tyne and Wear in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . Lying on the Anglo-Scottish border , Northumberland has been the site of a number of battles . The county is noted for its undeveloped landscape of high moorland , now largely protected as the Northumberland National Park . Northumberland is the least densely populated county in England , with only 62 people per square kilometre .