Nine get muddy in Puzzlewood

We visited Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean last summer. I was instantly captivated by this enchanting place. Karen from Mini Travellers saw my post and was very keen to experience it for herself. So on Good Friday, we met up with her and her gorgeous family to go on the Easter Egg hunt at Puzzlewood.

One of the things that amazes me about Puzzlewood is that it has a very different feel to the rest of the Forest of Dean. It really does seem like you have entered a strange new world as you first step into the woods. Amidst the huge trees are giant rocks that have been engulfed in a blanket of lush green moss, interspersed with leafy ferns. All the greenness surrounding you, makes the wood feel so alive.

As the path meanders between the trees and rocks, there are wooden bridges to cross the forest and provide another view of the forest.

Back in the summer the ground at Puzzlewood was quite damp underfoot. Following a few days of rain it was very muddy. Thankfully, there are tree trunk stepping stones throughout to help you negotiate the mud. All five girls loved walking across the stepping stones!

Because of the nature of the pathways round Puzzlewood, pushchairs are not allowed. Last summer, Emily was in our backpack and we had a lovely, relaxed walk around the woods. This time Emily was walking. Our fiercely independent and puddle-loving toddler was let loose around the wood. It was slightly less relaxing this time as one of us had to help Ems across the stepping stones and up and down slippery stone steps. She had a whale of a time – even if Rich and I were in need of a sit down and a cuppa once we had finished our walk!

Over the Easter period there was an Easter Egg hunt on through Puzzlewood. Eight giant eggs were hung up throughout the woods. On them were various shapes, and the children were provided with a wordsearch to complete in which the names of the shapes were hidden. Freyja and Lily especially enjoyed looking out for the eggs and naming the shapes, whilst us parents frantically completed 5 wordsearches between us! It was a nice addition to the walk and something that could entertain children of a variety of ages.

After the walk, the girls had a brief break for food before playing in the giant sandpit, whilst the mummies and daddies enjoyed a rest and a hot drink from the café. We had a fantastic time exploring this amazing and unique place with brilliant company – one of the things that I love most about blogging is the people that I have met through it. It was lovely to see our families getting on so well together – and they would never have met if it weren’t for our blogs. We said our goodbyes and left Puzzlewood happy and muddy!

All that walking and playing soon caught up with the girls, and within minutes of us driving home, there was the sound of snoring and this was the view as I looked back….

I would whole-heartedly recommend a visit to Puzzlewood. Make sure that you have suitable footwear and are prepared for mud. The Easter Egg hunt was a lovely touch and I will definitely be taking the girls later in the year when they have their “witch hunt” at the end of October. There are loads of other events on during the year – take a look here. The prize for completing the Easter Egg hunt was a bouncy egg. I think Freyja was very happy with her prize – what do you think?

Disclaimer: We were given a free family ticket in exchange for an honest review – we really did have an amazing time!