Trees in St Leonard's Forest near Horsham, West Sussex

Where to go · West Sussex

Forest bathing at St Leonard’s Forest

Old forest of the Weald east of Horsham, with heath, conifers, broadleaf woods and a long history of legend and iron.

St Leonard's Forest stretches over the high ground between Horsham and Crawley, at the western end of the Wealden Forest Ridge. Much of it was cleared long ago, but a large area is still wooded with oak, sweet chestnut, larch, fir and spruce, broken by patches of restored heath. Its hammer ponds are the source of the River Arun, and iron furnaces worked here in the 16th century. Legend says St Leonard killed a dragon in the forest.

Forestry England's part is reached from the free Roosthole car park, with walking trails into the trees. Mick Mills' Race, a long straight clearing where an avenue was planted around 1720, is the best known landmark. The forest is shared with horse riders, so the side paths are quieter than the main tracks.

Practical

Managed by
Forestry England
Parking
Free car park at Roosthole
Terrain
Mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland with heath; forest tracks and paths
Nearest station
Horsham, a short drive west
Opening and entry
Open 24 hours, free
Official page
forestryengland.uk

Last updated 4 November 2026. Paths, parking and access can change, so check before you visit. Spotted something out of date? Please let us know.

Guides nearby

Three guides within 15 miles of St Leonard’s Forest

  • Lisa Duncan

    HINOKI Forest Bathing

    Abinger Hammer, Surrey

    UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute

    Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+1 more

    From £35 per person13 miles away

    View profile: Lisa Duncan

  • Joanna Bristow-Watkins

    Harmony in Nature CIC

    Shere, Surrey

    UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute

    Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+2 more

    From £39.77 per person14 miles away

    View profile: Joanna Bristow-Watkins

  • Katie Robinson

    Harmony in Nature CIC

    Shere, Surrey

    UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute

    Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+2 more

    From £39.77 per person14 miles away

    View profile: Katie Robinson

More woodlands in West Sussex

All venues in West Sussex
Yellow gorse and Scots pine trees on Black Down, West SussexBlack DownPine, heath and old woodland on the highest ground in the South Downs National ParkBuchan Country Park, Crawley, West SussexBuchan Country ParkWoodland, heath and ponds on Crawley's edge, with mostly surfaced pathsA footpath leading towards Ebernoe, West SussexEbernoe CommonAncient woodland and wood pasture north of Petworth, rich in bats and fungi

Photos: Black Down, Peter S (CC BY-SA 2.0); Buchan Country Park, PAUL FARMER (CC BY-SA 2.0); Ebernoe Common, Peter Holmes (CC BY-SA 2.0).