Pedal-a-Bike-Away Centre

You'll find this bike hire outfit right on the edge of Lydney, which makes it dead handy for anyone based at Bracelands or Greenacres - both literally three miles away. The centre rents out cycles and equipment for exploring the Forest of Dean's network of trails, which is frankly the main reason to be here rather than the facility itself.

What you get is straightforward: decent bikes, reasonable rates, and staff who actually know the terrain. The real appeal is access to proper woodland riding - everything from gentle towpath pedals along the Severn to proper forest singletrack if you're confident. Allow a morning or afternoon depending on your trail choice. Families with younger riders will find the easy loops manageable, though teenagers might find the beginner routes a bit tame.

It's free to turn up and browse, but hiring costs money - expect to pay per hour or day. Best to ring ahead, though contact details aren't readily available online. Summer weekends get rammed, so a weekday visit means shorter queues and less trail congestion.

If you're camping at Doward Park (4.2 miles north), you're close enough for a half-day outing. The real value here is as a launching point rather than a destination itself. Book your bikes, grab a map, and spend the day actually in the forest where the scenery is. The centre's the means to an end, not the end itself.