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All the United Kingdom England Coleford Puzzlewood

Puzzlewood

The mysterious, fantastical woodland inspiration for "The Lord of the Rings."

Coleford, England

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Puzzlewood   Neil Barnwell
Puzzlewood   Neil Barnwell
  Neil Barnwell / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Neil Barnwell / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Ben Salter / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Located inside the Forest of Dean near Coleford, Puzzlewood is a popular outdoor tourist destination in Gloucestershire, England.

It's filled with beautiful moss-covered rocks, bridges, and fantastic rock and tree formations that can be accessed by miles of winding pathways. Puzzlewood, used as a filming location for Merlin, Dr. Who, and Star Wars, covers more than 14 acres and is considered one of the best examples of pre-Roman Celtic open iron mines. The paths were laid in the early 19th century by the owner at the time. It didn't open to the public until 100 years later.

An enchanting place, Puzzlewood is said to have served as the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. A frequent visitor to the area, Tolkien may have considered Puzzlewood and the Forest of Dean when he created the Old Forest, Mirkwood, Lothlorien, and other places in his Middle Earth.

In addition to the forest, there are farm animals, outdoor picnic tables, a cafe, a gift shop, and a children's playground in the area. Some of the animals kept in Puzzlewood include cattle, wild fowl, rabbits, donkeys, Soay sheep, goats, and Shetland ponies. The area around Puzzlewood is a working farm.

Over the years, evidence of Roman occupation of the area has been found in the form of over 3,000 coins from the third century. Over the hundreds of years since the Romans left the site, the trees and moss have grown unchecked to cover any man-made structures that may have been left behind for mining.

Related Tags

Tolkien Literature Film Locations Animals Natural Wonders Intriguing Environs Ecosystems Nature

Know Before You Go

Puzzlewood is less than a mile south of Coleford in the Forest of Dean. The simplest way to get there is to head to Coleford and follow the brown tourist signs for Puzzlewood.

Community Contributors

Edited By

Rachel, maydaydancer, Michelle Cassidy, Fred Cherrygarden

  • Rachel
  • maydaydancer
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • Fred Cherrygarden

Published

November 11, 2013

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Sources
  • Puzzlewood: http://www.puzzlewood.net/
  • Wikipedia: Puzzlewood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puzzlewood
Puzzlewood
Perrygrove Road
Coleford, England, GL16 8PX
United Kingdom
51.78169, -2.611378
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

Coleford, England

miles away

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miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Coleford

Coleford

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

Coleford, England

miles away

St Briavels Castle

Saint Briavels, England

miles away

King Arthur's Cave

Whitchurch, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Coleford

Coleford

England

Places 2

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