Our verdict
Quieter than the main Wareham Forest trails and a decent option if you want woodland without the crowds, though paths are less signposted so a map or app helps. Good birdwatching if that's your thing, less remarkable if you just want a straightforward stomp.
A 157-hectare Forestry England wood five miles west of Wareham, straddling the ridge between the Piddle and Frome river valleys as part of the wider Purbeck Forest. A mix of conifer plantation, broadleaf trees and heathland, it's managed partly as a Special Protection Area for birds, with breeding nightjar, Dartford warbler and woodlark recorded here.