Forest bathing at High Lodge, Thetford Forest

High Lodge is Forestry England's main visitor site in Thetford Forest, off the B1107 between Brandon and Thetford on the Suffolk side of the forest. Thetford Forest covers 18,730 hectares of the Brecks, a planted landscape that Forestry England describes as a patchwork of pines, heathland and broadleaves. High Lodge has the café, toilets and waymarked trails, which makes it an easy base for a first visit to the forest.

The centre itself is busy: Go Ape, the Gruffalo trail and play areas are all here, and weekends and school holidays bring crowds. For a quiet walk, come early on a weekday and take one of the longer waymarked walking trails away from the play areas and into the trees. An easy access trail also starts from the centre, and a trail map is available to download. The site is gated, with shorter hours in winter, so check closing time before you set out. Parking here costs more than at the smaller forest car parks, so if you only want to walk, Lynford in Norfolk or Brandon Country Park nearby are calmer alternatives.