Mortimer Forest

Come and escape in Mortimer Forest! Straddling the Shropshire and Herefordshire border this thousand hectare forest is a perfect place for some breathing space.

Although originally made up of ancient royal chases and deer parks, the forest we see today was largely planted by the Forestry Commission in the 1920s. It was named after the Mortimer Family, Norman Lords who held power over the region for some 300 years.

The forest is rich in wildlife. Spectacular birds of prey can be found here and small birds such as nuthatches and warblers are often seen. Open spaces within the forest provide warm spots for butterflies, the Wood White being an important species and open places for reptiles to bask in the sun. Keep an eye out for the unique longhaired fallow deer which lives in the forest. The wildlife which you can’t see is just as important. Dead wood provides homes for insects and fungi that feed the forest by breaking down nutrients.