Forest Holidays is a subsidiary of the Forestry Commission and provides luxurious lodge holidays from 9 locations. The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in England and Scotland. Blackwood Forest is in Hampshire and opened in Spring 2013.

The are 60 luxurious cabins at Blackwood Forest and set in a 270 acre Beech Forest. The Forest Retreat is the central hub for the site and provides reception services, a small bar, café & shop selling gifts and essential groceries. The are quiz nights several times during the week. The retreat is open throughout the day but closes early evening. The is a well equipped children’s playground next to the retreat.
The main attraction at Blackwood Forest is the Forest itself and cycle hire is available to help you explore. In addition the are a choice of walks and trails available which can be obtained from the retreat. During our stay we did a Geocaching treasure trail which was frustrating but fun.

All Forest Holiday have a ranger on site. The Forest Ranger runs a full programme of activities for all ages which includes treasure hunts, forest crafts and Night Vision walks. The are various other activities available depending on season including pampering sessions, archery & falconry.
Cabins at Blackwood Forest sleep from 2 to 8 . In addition the is a treehouse which can sleep up to 10. All of the cabins are well equipped and some are pet friendly. All cabins; apart from Copper Beech; come with a private hot tub. The Forest Retreat offers a takeaway delivery service to cabins offering Pizza and Indian food. For an extra charge wifi, sky channels and movies on demand can be purchased. The is good facilities for catering inside your cabin and a barbecue area on your private decking. We stayed in a 3 bedroomed Golden Oak cabin and found it very comfortable. We have stayed in several lodge resorts throughout the UK and found this to be among the very best.


Attractions nearby include Portsmouth, Winchester and the New Forest. Blackwood Forest is located close to Basingstoke where the is a good choice of supermarkets.
Break prices varies by season and discounts are available for NHS staff.
If you want a family break to get away from the pressures of modern life then Blackwood Forest is highly recommended. The below video has highlights of our trip to Blackwood Forest
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