Everyone rages about how great beach holidays are and the appeal isn’t hard to see – they’re associated with relaxing in the sun, with swimming in the sea and with watching the waves lap against the shore. However while beaches are great, forests offer some great locations to visit too with wildlife, lush green fauna, lots of walks and a sense of peace of quiet and being close to nature. There are some fantastic European forests that are worth visiting for anyone who enjoys this kind of scenery, either as a day out, or as a place to stay in itself if you can get yourself a nice little log cabin. Some great European forests to check out include:
The New Forest, England: The New Forest is a very expansive area of protected forest in England. It spans a large area and there are regularly events there such as festivals and markets. During the winter there is a great Christmas display where the forest becomes a ‘winter wonderland’.
The Black Forest, Germany: Named thus because of the thick conifers that block out the light in the forest, the black forest is one of the most famous European forests and has a very magical feel about it – especially around Christmas. Set in the mountains, and the birthplace of many stories and a wealth of food (such as the titular gateau and ham) this feels like the perfect setting for a fairy tale.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus: At the watershed of the Baltic and Black Sea is another spectacular addition the number of European forests. Filled with Evergreens and broad leaved trees it is a very lush and green environment and a great place for spotting Bison.
Pirin National Park, Bulgaria: If you fancy exploring some European forests at a higher altitude then Pirin national park is the place for you at over 2,914m and featuring caves, waterfalls and a limestone landscape all in a great pine wood forest.
If you are willing to look around though there are many other European forests and these offer some great days out. So when visiting Europe make sure that you don’t only visit the beaches and cities, but consider the forests as well for some great scenery and especially if you enjoy hiking.
