Dean Forest Railway - (Parkend Station)

The Dean Forest Railway runs a handful of heritage steam trains through some proper beautiful woodland between Parkend and nearby Lydney, and it's the sort of thing that makes you remember why you liked trains as a kid - without the corporate ticketing nonsense. You board at Parkend Station, a restored Victorian affair with actual period detail, and spend an hour or so rattling through the Forest of Dean on a genuine steam loco. The track hugs the valley, so there's woodland pressing in on both sides, and you get a real sense of how these forests shaped the local economy back when iron and coal mattered.

It's brilliant for families with children under ten - they'll be transfixed by the steam and noise. Older kids might find it a bit short for the money, and it's not really a walker's attraction unless you're the sort who gets excited about railway heritage. History buffs will appreciate that you're literally riding rails that Victorian workers laid.

Allow a good two hours including queuing and browsing the station cafe. Check their website for running dates before you visit - heritage railways don't operate year-round, and weekends are busier. It's free to look around the station, though the actual train ride costs. Parkend's only a short drive from Lydney, making it a convenient stop if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby campsites like Deanwood or Bracelands. Combine it with a proper walk elsewhere in the Forest of Dean and you've got a decent half-day sorted.