“A Gruffalo? What’s a Gruffalo?
A Gruffalo! Why, didn’t you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.”
I am sure all of us parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and children alike are familiar with the story above? Julia Donaldson’s famous tale The Gruffalo is a popular book in our house – we just love the illustrations by by Axel Scheffler.
Did you know there are lots of free Gruffalo Trails around the UK? And we all love a free day out right! Stay here to find out more about them.
It is really important to get fresh air and spend time in nature and what better incentive than going Gruffalo spotting at the same time. Below is all the information you will need about the Gruffalo Trails that you can visit with your family that are peppered across the UK from north to south, there will probably be one near you..
Table of Contents
What are Gruffalo Trails?
As you will know the Gruffalo story is set in a deep, dark wood, so the Gruffalo Sculpture Trails are all set in the beautiful forest locations. The Gruffalo Trail brings the story of The Gruffalo to life. There are a selection of Gruffalo woods where you can find Gruffalo sculptures dotted across the UK. You can take your time strolling through the woodland or even pick up an activity pack, there is an extra charge for these but you can still have plenty of fun without one, making it a very inexpensive family day out.
How Many Gruffalo Trails are There?
Currently there are 15 places where you can find the Gruffalo Trails with sculptures, these are all in different locations across England.
Are Gruffalo Trails free?
The Gruffalo Trails are free to visit except you may have to pay for parking and a Gruffalo Activity pack if your family would like one. However, the activity packs are fairly cheap at around £3.50 but aren’t necessary.
Find the Gruffalo Trail near me – Where are the Gruffalo walks?
Gruffalo Trails in Surrey
Alice Holt, Surrey
Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, GU10 4LS
This 1.5km Gruffalo Trail Alice Holt in Farnham starts at the Go Ape and is suitable for the whole family. Search for the Gruffalo sculptures along the Willows Green Trail. Each sculpture has been carved in a different position. At Alice Holt Forest there is also a cafe, play area, toilets and a picnic area as well as Go Ape.
Open: May to September 8am – 9pm, October 8am – 7pm, November 8am – 6pm, December to February 8am – 5pm, March 8am – 6pm, April 8am – 7pm
Gruffalo Trails in Kent
Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest, Kent
Lady Oak Lane, Goudhurst, TN17 2SJ
This 1.6km Gruffalo Trail Kent starts at the visitors centre and is suitable for the whole family. Visit the visitor centre information office for clues on where to find the sculptures, there are seven large wooden Gruffalo sculptures hiding amongst the trees. Including all of the favourite characters from the story.
Open: Daily at 8am except Christmas Day.
Gruffalo Trails in Staffordshire
Cannock Chase Forest, Staffordshire
Birches Valley, Rugeley, WS15 2UQ
This 1.6km Cannock Chase Forest Gruffalo trail starts at Birches Valley Forest Centre and is suitable for the whole family. The Gruffalo can be found by following the Ladyhill Trail. There are walking and cycling trails, Go Ape, Forest Segway, Orienteering, play areas, picnic areas, cafe, toilets, baby changing facilities, cycle hire
Open: Daily except Christmas Day.
Gruffalo Trails in Yorkshire
Dalby Forest, Yorkshire
Dalby Visitor Centre, Low Dalby, Thornton-Le-Dale, Pickering
This 2km Dalby Forest Gruffalo trail starts at the car park by Adderstone Field and is suitable for the whole family. Find the Gruffalo and Gruffalo’s Child in Adderstone play area.There are also walking and cycling trails, play areas, Go Ape, cafe, bike shop and hire, activity centre, toilets and picnic area.
Open: Daily 8am-8pm except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day
Gruffalo Trails in Cheshire
Delamere Forest, Cheshire
Linmere, Delamere, Northwich, CW8 2HZ
This 1.6km Delamere Forest trail starts at the Trail Header and is suitable for the whole family. You can find the Gruffalo by following the Blakemere or Linmere walking trails or the Whitemoor or Hunger cycling trails. There are walking and cycling trails, orienteering, Go Ape, Segway, Nordic Walking, bike hire, cafe, picnic area, toilets and baby changing.
Open: Summer opening times: 8:00am to 8:00pm. Winter opening times: 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Gruffalo Trails in Northampton
Fineshade Wood, Northamptonshire
Top Lodge, Fineshade, Near Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 3BB
This 3km Fineshade Wood trail starts at the top of the car park, by the trail heads and is suitable for the whole family. Head to the visitor centre for clues to find the Gruffalo. There are walking trails, family cycling trails, play areas, picnic area, cafe, cycle hire, toilets, bird hide and wildlife hide.
Open: Daily from 8am except Christmas Day.
Kielder Forest & Castle, Northumberland
Kielder Castle, Kielder, NE48 1ER
This 2.4km Kilder Castle Gruffalo trail starts at the castle and is suitable for the whole family. If you venture into the deep dark wood you may bump into the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo’s Child plus other characters from the story. There are walking and cycling trails, a cafe, cycle hire, picnic areas, toilets and baby changing facilities.
Gruffalo Trails in Exeter
Haldon Forest Park, Exeter
Haldon Forest Park, Bullers Hill, Kennford, Exeter, EX6 7XR
You can head off the beaten track with the fun, navigational challenge at Haldon Forest. There is also Nordic walking, running trails, walking trails, Yurt Hire, cycling trails, discovery trail, forest find, Go Ape Tree Top Adventure, Go ape Treetop Challenge, harcombe horse riding trails, forest segway, picnic areas, toilets, bike wash, cycle hire, bird hide and cafe.
Open: Daily except Christmas Day 7am – 9pm.
Gruffalo Trails in Durham
Hamsterley, Durham
Bedburn, Hamsterley, DL13 3NL
The 2.5km Bedburn Gruffalo Trail starts at the visitors centre and is suitable for the whole family. Each wooden sculpture has been carved in a different position.There are walking, cycling and horse riding trails, play areas, Cafe and a picnic area.
Visit the website for opening hours
Gruffalo Trails in Dorset
Moors Valley Country Park, Dorset
Horton Road, Ashley Heath, Nr Ringwood, BH24 2ET
Th 2km Moors Valley Trail starts at the beginning of the play trail and is suitable for the whole family. Find the Gruffalo sculptures in the wooden picnic area. Each wooden sculpture has been carved in a different position. There are walking and cycling trails, children’s play trails, play areas, toilets, restaurant, visitor centre, bike hire, steam railway and picnic areas.
Open: Daily from 8.00am (except Christmas Day)
READ: Places to stay in Dorset
Gruffalo Trails in the UK
Gruffalo Trails in Nottinghamshire
Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire
Kings Clipstone, Nottingham, NG21 9JL
This 2km Sherwood Pines Trail starts by the classroom and is suitable for the whole family. Head to the visitor centre for clues to find the Gruffalo. Find all of the carved wooden Gruffalo characters along the trail. There are walking and cycling trails, disc golf, bushcraft activities, bike park and skills loop, Go Ape, Forest Segway, Nordic walking, play areas, orienteering, cafe, bike hire, picnic areas and toilets.
Open: Daily except Christmas Day.
Gruffalo Trails in Buckinghamshire
Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire
Upper Icknield Way, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, HP22 5NQ
This 2km Wendowver Woods Trail starts at the information point and is suitable for the whole family. Head to the information point for a clue about where to find the sculptures. There are toilets, a play area, walking and cycling trails and Go Ape.
Open: Daily except Christmas Day.
Gruffalo Trails in Glouestershire
Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
The National Arboretum, Tetbury, GL8 8QS
This 2.5km Westonbirt Gruffalo Trail starts near the restaurant and is suitable for the whole family. Head to the visitor centre for a clue where to find the sculptures. There are toilets, a play area, bird hide, cafe, shop and picnic area.
Open: Daily except Christmas day.
Gruffalo Trails in Cumbria
Whinlatter, Cumbria
Whinlatter Pass, Keswick, CA12 5TW
This 1.5km Winlatter Gruffalo Trails starts at the visitors centre and is suitable for the whole family.There are walking and cycling areas, play areas, Visitor Information & Forest Shop, Go Ape, Segway, cafe, bike hire, a picnic area and cafe.
Visit the website for opening times.
Gruffalo Trails in Worcestershire
Wyre Forest, Worcestershire
Wyre Forest, Callow Hill, Bewdley, DY14 9XQ
If you venture into the woods you may bump into the Gruffalo or the Gruffalo’s Child. There is a navigational challenge at Wyre Forest using a simple map to find twelve Gruffalo markers. There are also walking and cycling trails, a play area, bike hire, cafe, Go Ape Treetop Challenge, Go Ape Treetop Adventure,toilets and cycle hire.
Open: Daily except Christmas Day.
Gruffalo Trails in Essex
Thorndon Country Park
The Avenue, Warley, Brentwood CM13 3RZ
Discover the magic of the deep dark wood with this self-led trail searching for the amazing carvings of the Gruffalo characters at Thornton Park Gruffalo Trail. There are some fantastic walks through ancient woodland and historic deer parks which lie close alongside recently planted woodland and a landscape. At Thorndon Country Park there are also bird hides, a shop and refreshments. Picnic area and toilets.
Open: Daily from 10.00am
READ: Days out in Essex with Kids
READ: Bluebells in Essex
READ: Pumpkin Patches in Essex
READ: Family Walks in Essex
Gruffalo Spotters Trails
Gruffalo Spotter Trails are trails, brought to life through an app – Download Gruffalso Spotter 2. Download this app at home in case you do now have signal once you reach your location. You can also purchase an activity pack from the Forestry Commission visitor centres to complement the app.
When you have downloaded the app and are on the Gruffalo Spotters Trail of your choice, you just need to point your phone/app at the special markers along the trails. You can then watch the characters from the story come to life – some great photo ops too!.
Here are some Gruffalo Spotter Trails Near You
Moors Valley Country Park – Dorset
Alice Holt – Hampshire
High Lodge Forest centre – Norfolk
Wendover Woods – Buckinghamshire
Fineshade Wood – Northamptonshire
Salcey Forest – Northamptonshire
Fineshade Wood – Northamptonshire
Beechenhurst – Gloucestershire
Westonbirt Arboretum – Gloucestershire
Beechenhurst – Gloucestershire
Kielder Castle – Northumberland
Hamsterley Forest – County Durham
Dalby Forest – North Yorkshire
Sherwood Pines – Nottinghamshire
Hicks Lodge – Leicestershire
Cannock Chase – Staffordshire
High Lodge Forest centre – Norfolk
Jeskyns community woodland – Kent
Bedgebury Pinetum – Kent
Other Themed Trails for Kids
Essex Wildlife Trust has four themed nature trails which include Bramley Hedge at Abberton Reservoir, Wind in the Willows at Hanningfield Reservoir and Peter Rabbit at Langdon as well as The Gruffalo at Thorndon.
Brambly Hedge
Abberton Reservoir, Colchetser, Essex
Meet seven of the characters from the classic stories out on the nature reserve. You can pick up a map available for £1.00 from the Nature Discovery Centre, and find Wilfred and the Brambly Hedge mice including Primrose, Lord Woodmouse and Lady Woodmouse.
The Wind in the Willows
Hanningfield Reservoir, Chelmsford, Essex
The trail consists of wooden sculptures of the most popular characters from the classic book. At Hanningfield Reservoir you will find the Wind in the Willows sculpture trail. The trail consists of wooden sculptures of the most popular characters from the classic book and at each sculpture there is a brass rubbing of the animal that the sculpture depicts.
Peter Rabbit
Langdon, Lower Dunton Rd, Basildon
Langdon is lucky to have a wooden sculpture trail featuring Peter Rabbit and his friends. The Trail is on a hard surface path that makes it suitable for all, including buggies and wheelchairs. Maps for the trail are available from the visitor centre at £1.00 and quiz sheets suitable for all ages are also available (price varies) to engage children and make the Trail even more fun.
Stick Man Trails in the UK
Stick Man is lost, can you and your family help him find his way back to the family tree? In these discovery trails, kids can enjoy fresh air while tracing back to events from the popular book Stick Man book in their outdoor activity pack.
There are a fair few trails throughout the UK which are listed below.
Windmill Hill City Farm, Bristol
Houghton Hall Park, Bedfordshire
Summerwood Community Garden, Nottingham
Martineau Gardens, Birmingham
National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire
Beetle Bank Open Farm, York
Haygrove Community Gardens
Hulme Community Garden Centre, Manchester, perfect for a day out from Manchester city centre
Nunny’s Farm, Grimsby
Summerwood Community Garden, Nottingham
The Green Backyard, Peterborough
Woodlands Farm Trust, London
Food4Families, Reading
Gruffalo Toys
The Gruffalo shop online sells a whole plethora of Gruffalo toys including plush toys of all of your favourite characters including the Gruffalo himself, the Gruffalo mouse, owl, snake, squirrel and fox. You can also collect a range of prints, stationery and pencil tins, Gruffalo Pyjamas, a Gruffalo Trunki if you are going on holiday with you toddler and of course the wonderful books by Julia Donaldson.
So, if you are looking for fun things to do with kids, do think about checking out the Gruffalo Trail. As you can see from our list, there are plenty of activities besides finding the Gruffalo and his friends. You can take your bikes, your dog, take a picnic or have fun in the play areas.
