Find your Freedom with a tastebuds tour in the Forest of Dean

Follow the Delicious Dean Tastebuds Trail, a culinary itinerary curated by Visit Dean Wye as part of its new Find Your Freedom campaign, which inspires visitors to explore the hidden gems of the Forest of Dean and enjoy some of the best locally-produced food and drink.

The Forest of Dean is rich in fabulous flavours, artisan expertise and bistro-style bites, due in part to its commitment to sustainable farming, lush meadows, traditional orchards, micro climate and the ingenuity of the people who live here. Much of the area's fantastic produce is exported across the UK and internationally, but visitors can sample it first hand in local award-winning restaurants, cafés, pubs and on-site experiences.

For those with a sweet tooth there's an itinerary that takes in The Chocolate Bar in Lydney, an artisan maker specialising in delicious chocolates. From here call into the Mallards Pike Café for a slice of cake overlooking a beautiful lake with unique wildlife, or visit Taurus Crafts in Lydney, which serves superb food and drink that's organic and sustainable.

The cheese-a-holic route takes in the multi award-winning Smarts Farm in Churcham, supplier of the round of Double Gloucester used for the infamous annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling event. Forest Deli in Coleford has one of the best cheese counters in the region; while Hanley Farm Shop and Café at Tidenham is a much-lauded spot for lunch and place to sample Cheddar made from the milk of the farm's very own cows.

For tasty tipples, the iconic Fountain Inn at Parkend, with its steam train and iron works history, is a great pit stop for walkers, cyclists and motorists alike with its array of real ales and delicious food.  Across the county find the 16th Century Red Hart Inn at Blaisdon, the multi-award-winning and current Forest of Dean Pub of the Year, which is a welcome retreat after completing one of its many walking trails.

If you're curious for the pure nectar of artisan cider or perry, join the family at Severn Cider in Awre to sample some of its products and explore their riverside heritage orchards.

For a foodie overnighter, hunker down at the Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent and combine your stay with a tour and tasting at the state-of-the-art winery and visitor centre, and lunch or dinner at the on-site brasserie. Deeper into the forest is the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel overlooking the gaze of Clearwell Castle, which dates back to the 13th Century and is described as a “culinary oasis”.

Explore breathtaking nature on your doorstep with a stay at the Speech House Hotel near Coleford, a 17th Century royal hunting lodge constructed for Charles II, which was the area's court and administrative centre for centuries. The AA Rosette Verderers' fine dining restaurant serves seasonal dishes in sight of the historical raised courtroom gallery.

For an extra-special experience the Delicious Dean Tastebuds Trail recommends the county's best seafood at Severn & Wye Smokery's beautiful The Barn restaurant; a meal cooked by a private chef from Harts Barn Cookery School at a location of your choosing; or Crafternoon Tea at the Lydney studios of magical mosaic artist, Rachel Shilston.

When it comes to food, the Forest of Dean is in a league of its own, with plenty of places to treat your tastebuds. Find out more here: https://www.visitdeanwye.co.uk/gofindfreedom

ENDS

Editor's Notes

For all media enquiries, interviews, quotes, images or video, please contact Rachel Jones at Encore PR – rachel.jones@encorepr.co.uk

A video that showcases the Delicious Dean Tastebuds Trail can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/W79qx5I8d2o

A video that showcases the Find Your Freedom campaign can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/4Lio96aEnpc

A selection of new high-resolution imagery to illustrate the Delicious Dean Tastebuds Trail are available to download via WeTransfer (more images available on request) - https://we.tl/t-40uiu7a58C

(Images courtesy of Visit Dean Wye https://www.visitdeanwye.co.uk/ )

NEW ITINERARIES IN WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE

• Hidden Gems draws attention to lesser-known locations and interesting experiences to enjoy in and around the towns of Lydney, Coleford, Cinderford and Newent.
• Delicious Dean celebrates the fabulous flavours found across the area, shining a light on some of the best food and drink experiences and tasty local produce.
• Freedom Awaits connects visitors with nature where they can experience the magnificent surroundings of the Forest of Dean from wildlife spotting to forest bathing.
• Get Out, Get Active covers seven exhilarating experiences for adventurers, from laser tag to caving, and high ropes to cycling.
• Crafty Forest inspires visitors to express their creativity, try their hand at pottery or mosaics, or learn new culinary skills at a cookery school.

Find Your Freedom campaign is funded by Forest of Dean District Council.

About Visit Dean Wye

Visit Dean Wye is the official Destination Management Organisation (DMO) representing the interests of over 250 partner businesses operating in the visitor economy in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and the Wye Valley in Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.

The volunteer run organisation seeks to promote the area to both domestic and international tourists and visitors. It offers a one stop shop for up-to-date information and inspiration for people looking to find more about the wild, wonderful and adventurous Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.

The website and associated social channels are a gateway to this beautiful and little-known destination, that offers travellers and visitors a wide range of opportunities to reconnect with nature and truly find their freedom.

Find out more at https://www.visitdeanwye.co.uk/

Twitter @VisitDeanWye        

Facebook @VisitDeanWye   

Instagram @VisitDeanWye

#GoFindFreedom

#DeanWye