Walked from here to the top of Twmbarlwn and back. Loads of parking (which seems to be free at the moment) and I thinks there’s also a nice scenic road that takes you partly up the hill with parking up there too. Walk leaflets for 15p from the visitor centre where there is also a cafe. Just a simple place with basic machine coffee (not ideal for those who don’t drink cows milk) but lots of places to sit. Loads of footpaths so you can do as much or as little as you like.

Fabulous! Its been +30 years since I last visited the Forest Drive and it didn't disappoint. Fantastic views, great parking and toilet stops for visitors in cars. Excellent over all. Cycled to the top on a road bike and the road surface was perfect. Looked great for MTB'ers too judging by their happy faces.

One of the best outdoor areas in Wales if not the UK. You have fantastic mountain bike trails, plenty of play areas for the children, walks through the forest and around the pond, a decent restaurant and fantastic views. Feeling fit? Try a walk to the top of Twmbarlwm! Whilst technically a hill, if you start from Cwmcarn forest side you'll have had a good work out. On a clear day you get a great 360 view. If you don't fancy the walk you can drive up. £8 for a car will give you access to a scenic drive with various car parks a long the way with toilet facilities. You'll also have access to the playgrounds and picnic areas. Parking area 3 has the best playground on the site.

First time coming here and what a place!! Currently bottom car park is free whi h gives u access to 4 walks including a lake with river. (Excellent for dogs) for an additional £8 (cash ) you can do the drive which is spectacular!! Full day out enjoyed by all

Fantastic walks talking you right into the heart of Wales, visitor centre with toilets and information and cafe. The walk can be as tough as you make it follow the markers then, you can either walk up along side the rode or up the yellow path. On a clear day you can see all over cardiff Newport and the beacons. A great day out.

We had a lovely weekend stay in one of the lodges at Cwmcarn forest, lodge was spotless, had everything we needed and was dog friendly which was a bonus! Lovely walks along the lake, park on site for children and a nice cafe too. No WiFi or you couldn't make a call out which didn't really bother us was nice and peaceful. Highly recommend

Amazing place. Usually parking fees but they were suspended on my visit. Food in the cafe was limited but it was good value and not bad food. The surrounding hills, walks and moutainbike trails seem to go on forever.

A lovely scenic drive. Nice cafe at the visitor centre. Lovely kids parks in various locations around the forest and a nice lake where you can engage in some planned watersports through a company that runs stuff there. Great place for mountain biking, with a variety of routes for different skill levels. There is also a great walk up to the Iron Age Hill fort known as Twmbarlwm, said to be the last resting place of the legendary king Bran the Blessed. Absolutely glorious scenery and toilet facilities at all parking points around the drive. The drive costs £8 per car, but that will cover all parking, including if you return to the visitor centre at the bottom for a cuppa or a spot of lunch. Great picnic areas available and some bbqs allowed, but it's worth checking the rules around this.

Drove up to Car Park 4. Beautiful views while the kids play. Tables have barbecue stands on them so on a sunny day it's a brilliant place to chill for a while . Grandson loved the park especially the zip line. I loved the views right down to the sea.

My first visit and won't be my last since moving locally nearby. I wanted to find somewhere I can go for walks and take my camera and I have found that place. Went on the orange trail walk and it was lovely, a little awkward to spot the markers at times bit found our way to the top within an hour (a hot day and alot of up hill) worth it at the top. There is parking near the top but I parked down and the visitors centre where there is plenty with very reasonable charges for the hour or day. The bike trails (for my partner not myself) look amazing with great variety. Staff in the visitor centre were also very lovely. Will be back to try out the other 5 trails 😊

So far so good. Only been here 2 hrs. Beautiful scenery. Pods are cozy. Toilet and shower facilities. Let's see how warm it stays. It's December 🙏

What a stunning drive-through forest with amazing views throughout. 7 car park areas to stop and take photos or picnic. Walking and cycling routes for the adventurous.

Stayed in campervan and facilities were nice, really enjoyed the walks from the main centre up past the lake and into the hills. Good playground and fun adventure obstacles on the walking routes to keep kids (and grown up kids) entertained.

Lovely well kept forest drive plenty of places to stop and take in the fantastic views loads of walks and well equipped children's play areas along the way nice cafe to finnish up in also excellent mountain bike tracks with a mtb repair shop in the bottom carpark would reccommend to anyone

Nice trails, beautiful nature, stunning views. This place is perfect for a walkers and montain bikers. People who like sightseeing from car will find also something for themselfs. Place offer a beautiful road trail where you can "climb" sitting in your car.

A great place to start if you wish to hike twmbalin. Nice cafe too. Loads of kids play areas that look new. Also you can can pay card for parking at the visitors centre. Just remember your car reg and your all set.

Loved walking here a couple of weeks ago. It’s a short 20 minutes drive from Newport. Lovely views of the whole area from up top. The last part of the hike is pretty steep for about 15-20 minutes, but worth the views from there. Definitely recommend and will go back soon.

Unique and amazing experience. Drive through a private forest, park in any of the several parkings and enjoy the views, playgrounds, trails or just sit and relax. A paradise for mountain bike lovers.

Had a fab time, a birthday Dissapointed in the cafe, my jacket potato was cold and missing a topping but the staff are very friendly. More toilets would be ideal for younger ones,

Beautiful scenery and stunning forest sights. Had a wonderful afternoon driving around the routeway. Sadly, because of walking difficulties we couldn't waver far from the paths, but the views were stunning. There are lots of Off road biking activities available and food, drinks and toilets available in visitors centre.

What a great place. We did the forest drive with our granddaughters. A superb location for picnics and playgrounds.. pity North Wales doesn't have such a facility.

This was our first visit to Forest Drive with our daughter & son-in-law who live locally & have been before. The road is of an excellent quality & there are numerous stops around the forest with quite breathtaking views across the Welsh Valleys & over the Bristol Channel. Binoculars & a camera are a must.

Amazing forest walks and biking trails. Suitable for all ages and accessibility needs. Great coffee shop and pop up food trucks on site.

What an absolutely stunning place. I've never ever heard of the place until recently. The place is a must on a sunny day! Great roads through the mountainside. And a lovely spot for kids, with playgrounds,toilets, and even bbq areas

Veiws spectacular, visitor maps useless. The way point directions could have been written by my mother-in-law. I think it's geared up to the mountain bikers as their trails are marked everywhere.

Absolutely brilliant. Not publicised enough. Hadn't known you have to pay to go on the drive, but was well worth it! Really super job has been made of the single track, one way roads, and each of the seven car parks, some with toilets, some with play parks for the children. Particularly enjoyed the one with beautifully carved beasts of the forests. Views are spectacular. Cycle tracks and hiking tracks too; believe there is canoeing available too. Visitor centre to give any information you need.

One of the best drives. Very well maintained and £8/car. Cycle pathways and hikes available as well. A must visit place with kids on a good weather day. 30 mins drive from Newport

Beautiful place to walk with a lake and lots of sitting areas. Lovely visitor centre too and cafe. A hard mountain bike pathway too. You can walk miles here. Very serene too. £1 for 2 hour stay, £3 for longer

Beautiful place to explore the mountain - the route to the top is really well planned out with parking at various points on the way up to enjoy the views and a lovely play area for the kids. Great cafe at the bottom too but all the toilets were blocked when we visited unfortunately 😕

A wonderful scenic drive with plenty of walks and places to stop to admire the view and let children play in the adventure play grounds. Good for mountain biking Ihave heard. Nice cafe and gift shop.

The views from the Forest Drive mountain are stunning, England and the Bristol Channel make a great visa. The upgrade to the grounds are worth a visit for a great family day out.

Love this place it's quiet friendly and jam packed with outdoor things to keep kids entertained too. Food in cafe lovely and priced right and shops great too. Parks up top are amazing and it's clean and tidy in the campsite and toilets!!

The forest drive is lovely but the signposting needs improving. Its geared for bikes not walkers. It would be nice to know the walking routes. Lovely food at the cafe.

Enjoyed the drive experience. Public toilets at most of the car parks. Children's play parks are fantastic, variety of equipment! Beautiful views. On a good day with clear skies and sunshine, pack a picnic and it can be a day out for the family.

This is a great venue, but a bit limiting if you have restricted mobility. Lots of facilities - visitor centre, cafe, wildlife lake, children's play area - and great natural ambience. However facilities are strung along the valley side and no clear signing. You might even need to change car parks. Even access to the cafe from the visitor centre car park not clearly signed (affected by Covid arrangements).

Great place for mountain biking with stunning views and even better the car park was free when we went

A nice few hours out with the kids & dog. It's a great place to go if your into walking & to just enjoy the fresh air & scenery. There's a nice little cafe for the basics with a great park & lake to walk around. It's £8 to drive around Cwmcarn Forest Drive which seems a bit expensive but if you spend the whole day there it is worth it because there's another great park there & the views are absolutely stunning! We will definitely go back again but next time I doubt we'll pay to go around forest drive.

Love this place. Amazing effort on the visitor centre by the council! Well done. The "escape to twmbarlwm" route could definitely be better signposted/marked. Even when actually on the right route it was hard to know that because the markers were so spread out. Also the cafe was great but could use a few more options for those with more specific and restricted diets. But otherwise great effort and a wonderful offering for the public.