Forest bathing at Wareham Forest

Wareham Forest lies just north of Wareham, on the edge of the Isle of Purbeck. It is a mix of conifer plantation and open heathland, with bogs and streams that support rare plants. Sika deer and woodlarks live here, and cattle graze parts of the heath. In May 2020 a fire burned for nearly two weeks across about 550 acres, and you will still see its marks; Forestry England is also turning some plantation back into heath.

Most people start at the free Sika Trail car park off Bere Road, at Coldharbour. The Sika Trail is a long, mostly flat loop on forest roads, popular with cyclists, so for a slower walk take the waymarked Woodlark Trail, about 3 km on broad gravel tracks, or wander the smaller paths off it. There are other car parks at Woolsbarrow, Stroud Bridge and Sugar Hill. The heath is exposed, so on a windy day stay under the trees. There are no toilets on site.