The Gruffalo Trail Alice Holt Forest

The Gruffalo Trail Alice Holt Forest – I have been promising to take Harry to the deep dark wood to walk the Gruffalo trail and visit the Gruffalo characters for such a long time. So much so it even featured on our 2019 Travel Bucket List. Last week I finally managed it. Visiting the family forest of Alice Holt on the Surrey/Hampshire border. We have visited a couple of the trails there before. Including The Stickman and also the ZOG trail. Both of which were good but they had nothing on the Gruffalo trail. Partly because the Gruffalo has always been our favourite. But also because it is significantly different to the other ones. 

One of the things I like about Alice Holt Forest is that it has a number of different trails running at any one time. The Gruffalo is one of their longest-standing and unlike the newer trails they actually have Gruffalo sculptures. I can remember taking Charlie a number of years ago to find the large wooden Gruffalo with his purple prickles hidden in the forest. The joy that he experienced when we walked around the clearing and found him was wonderful. Even now that he is older he still gets a twinkle in his eye. 

The Gruffalo Trail Alice Holt Forest

I also remember being a little disappointed at the time because the only wooden model was of the Gruffalo itself. However, when I visited with Harry I was pleased to see that all of our favourite characters are now made of wood. Meaning there is a whole bunch of other lovely wooden carvings. The trail is part of the Gruffalo Orienteering activity across a number of different forests. However when we visited there was no information about it in the visitors Centre.

In theory, you should be able to pick up an orienteering leaflet for £1.50. Which directs you to twelve Gruffalo markers hidden deep in the forest. So that you can use the new augmented reality app and take part in the interactive trial. But we couldn’t find one. As it is an established trail there was no additional activity pack like some of the other trails. But that didn’t detract as they are quite easy to spot so you do not need a Gruffalo spotters trail pack to have fun.

However, we did pick up a forestry commission map and that was sufficient for Harry as there was a little picture of each wooden statue on it. It also has details of all the other walking trails, horse riding trail and cycling trails in the forest. The trail itself is about 2km and took us around forty minutes to navigate. The start of the trail is at the top of the little car park when you drive into Alice Holt. Which is no not bad with a three-year-old who likes to climb trees along the winding paths.

The way the trail is set up if you do not want to walk the whole route. It is possible to visit Gruffalo’s child and the Gruffalo and take the short route back to the car park in around twenty minutes. So it is ideal if you have a little one who is just coming out of a buggy then this short trail is ideal. Meaning that there is something for a whole family.

Official Gruffalo trail

During our walk, we came across all of the characters from the much-loved picture book. Squirrel, Gruffalo’s child, mouse, owl, snake and fox. Before finding the large wooden Gruffalo sculpture. The mouse was a little damaged and so we could not get close to him. But other than that Harry could get up close and personal with all of the famous characters. The trail will naturally take you through a den building area. Which includes a special den built for wheelchair users. Harry loved climbing all the trees. And reading the simple map to direct us to the next character from the much loved picture book written by playwright Julia Donaldson. Illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The sun was shining through the pine trees the afternoon was full of wonderful moments.

Parking at Alice Holt

The best part of the trail is that it is free other than paying for parking at Alice Holt. There is a large car park which is around the back of the centre. It cost us £4 for a couple of hours as we visited during off-peak times. Peak times are slightly more expensive. It uses number plate recognition with pay stations behind the toilets. It is extremely popular so if you are visiting during the holidays or at the weekend make sure you get there early in the day or later in the afternoon.

Amenities at Alice Holt

The other facilities at Alice Holt forest park are brilliant which is why it is so popular. There is plenty of clean toilets, a wonderful play area and plenty of picnic tables and dedicated picnic areas. It also has a cafe meaning you can pick up some food if needed. The play area is a big draw for all the families that visit. It has something for all ages including giant wooden pirate ships, climbing areas and swings for younger children. It really is the perfect place to get some fresh air.

They have recently added another trail which has a series of different play areas. The timberline play trail can be reached from either directly to the left of the cafe area. Or on the other side of the large car park next to the large Go Ape. The

Things you need to know

• Alice Holt is located on the Hampshire/Surrey border near Alton. You can use the following address to find it – Alice Holt Forest, Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LS.
• I would try to arrive early in the morning during peak times – weekends and the better weather as it does get busy. We have visited recently and had to queue as they operate a one in, one out in the car park during these times.
• You can find the forest map and details of the trails here. There are also more details about planning your visit on the forestry England website along with details of any new trail they are running and upcoming events
• Have you been on any forest adventures recently? I would love to hear about them in the comments below

Related Articles

If you are looking for more Gruffalo themed activities then you can download some activity sheets Gruffalo Spotter Activity Sheets Forestry website. I also have a number of other Gruffalo related posts. 

READ MORE – Gruffalo Story Bag

READ MORE – Gruffalo Party Bag Ideas

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The Gruffalo Trail Alice Holt Forest