Venture out on an exhilarating evening safari in the Forest of Dean and discover the wildlife that emerges from the forest as night falls.
This guided two-hour walk will take you through stunning ancient woodland as you listen to birdsong, spot woodland and waterbirds and then, as dusk falls, look and listen out for any secretive deer, wild boar or other nocturnal mammals.
Various waterbirds, including mandarin ducks, kingfishers and dippers, can be spotted on the ponds, and a variety of woodland birds are possible, including local specialities such as siskins, hawfinches, crossbills and firecrests. In the spring and summer, the evenings echo with a glorious evening chorus of birdsong, and you may be lucky enough to spot a woodcock displaying overhead or hear a tawny owl hooting in the twilight. Other interesting species you could find include reptiles, dung beetles and glow-worms.
During the first half of your walk, your expert guide will also tell you more about the forest, its wildlife and its fascinating history. Then, as the light drops, you will have a chance to walk quietly and immerse yourself in the landscape and, with a bit of luck, spot any deer or wild boar that may emerge, as well as any bats. You may even be lucky enough to get a rare glimpse of an elusive pine marten!
This unforgettable adventure is perfect for seasoned naturalists and curious explorers alike, offering a unique opportunity to escape the bustle of everyday life and connect more deeply with the natural world.
We are passionate about helping people to enjoy the forest and its wildlife and don't want anyone to miss out, so if you can't see a date you can do just let us know and we will do our best to arrange something to suit you :)
What’s Included?
• An evening wildlife safari in the ancient woodlands of the Forest of Dean.
• A chance to spot elusive wild boar, deer and other nocturnal mammals.
• Opportunities to spot woodland and waterbirds, and expert help to identify bird sounds.
• Fascinating insights into the forest’s wildlife, ecology and history.
• Experience the best each season has to offer, including birdsong in spring, insects and wildflowers in summer, autumn’s fiery colours, and visiting waterbirds in winter.
• A peaceful yet thrilling escape into nature, suitable for all levels of wildlife enthusiasts.
Please note the event will run once two or more customers have booked per date.
Age restrictions: 8+
| per person | £40 |
Really loved this experience. Liz was very friendly and knowledgeable about the local area and wi...
Really enjoyed this experience. Liz was great, leading us around two different areas, answering a...
Hi Ed! Just wanted to say Joe and I had such an amazing time! We will definitely be booking again...
Ed was a great guide and shared his knowledge enthusiastically. He Is clearly passionate about ...
Really loved this experience. Liz was very friendly and knowledgeable about the local area and wildlife. Lots of interesting facts about the history of the forest. The lake is a beautiful spot with lots of birds and ducks to enjoy. We obviously weren't guaranteed seeing wild boar or deer but we were lucky enough to see some from a little distance away. Even if we hadn't seen any it would have still been well worth with. Definitely recommend
Really enjoyed this experience. Liz was great, leading us around two different areas, answering all our questions and shared her brilliant knowledge of local wildlife. We were lucky enough to see wild boar and deer. Would definitely recommend
Hi Ed! Just wanted to say Joe and I had such an amazing time! We will definitely be booking again soon as we’re so nearby and love wildlife photography as you know… let us know about future nightjar summer visits! Elena X
Ed was a great guide and shared his knowledge enthusiastically. He Is clearly passionate about the area and the natural environment. Would definitely recommend booking.
We enjoyed our small group exploring the ponds and woods with Ed and certainly would not have seen the Mandarin ducks, Dipper & beautiful Fallow Buck deer without his expert eyes, ears and local knowledge. A very big thank you for a most enjoyable experiece that we certainly intend to repeat.
We really enjoyed our evening safari around Cannop Ponds. Ed is a knowledgeable, engaging host and the wildlife and location varied. Highly recommended.
Ed was a very enthusiastic guide, we really enjoyed his tour and his extensive knowledge of wildlife and the local area. Thanks Ed :)
Ed was great. A perfect balance of super knowledgeable, enthusiastic and approachable. I would love to do the tour again as it will be different each time, and I might get to see the elusive boars.
Loved it.
Magical experience! My 12 year old son loved it too
Had a great time and learnt a lot! Highlight was seeing the wild boar up close!
We spent a great couple of hours with Ed learning about the birds and the forest. Even saw a few wild boar. Highly recommended.
Ed is a great guide and educator who leads in a safe, enjoyable and welcoming way. He shares his knowledge and infectious enthusiasm for the local wildlife whilst maximising opportunities to encounter the wild boar, deer, bats and birdlife of the Forest of Dean. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend the experience to others.
Ed was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, very enjoyable couple of hours
A relaxing and informative evening spent in the Forest of Dean learning about the wildlife and environment. Ed was a great host, very knowledgeable and attentive to everyone in the group.
A really enjoyable time and I’d recommend it to others
It was a fantastic experience, Ed was so knowledgeable and friendly. We would definitely recommend to anyone who wanted to know more about nature in the Forest of Dean, seeing, smelling and hearing things that you might overwise miss.
A really well considered experience with lots of interesting information and the chance to share twilight with boar and deer. We had a great time I would definitely recommend!
We had a great time on the wildlife safari - Ed was an exceptional host, and we learnt so much about the Forest of Dean from his experience! Would definitely recommend!
Incredible evening with amazing wildlife and informative and friendly host. Thank you very much.
Ed's knowledge was brilliant. Spent a wonderful evening exploring the wildlife of the Forest of Dean, and Ed made everyone feel really welcome. He also took care to make sure everyone was able to see the wildlife. Thanks for a fantastic evening!
An excellent evening with Ed, we were able to see wild boar, fallow deer and pipistrelle bats as well as woodcock, dippers and wagtails in the forest. Ed is highly knowledgeable about the wildlife and it is an easy walk. Thanks for a great evening!
Had an amazing time!
Brilliant evening. Ed is so knowledgeable with great communication skills. We saw Boar, Deer, Buzzards, Bats and loads of rare birds including Woodcock. Thoroughly recommended!
We saw wild boar, a woodcock, many different birds and several deer. The location of the tour is very beautiful. We had a bit of difficulty finding the start point, though we managed to track the group down in the end. My sister loved her birthday treat. Thank you Ed!
Ed’s knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious. Stimulating to go forward to appreciate the points of nature around us. Would love to have the chance to return in different season etc.
Fantastic evening. Explored a beautiful area of the forest. We saw fallow deer, an abundance of birds, bats and then a female wild boar with her piglet! If you haven’t got binoculars, try and borrow some as they definitely helped!
Ed was a brilliant host. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the area, birds and animals enhanced the experience. He made sure we didn’t miss anything during this wonderful evening that I would recommend to anyone interested in nature and the outdoors.
Ed was an excellent guide with broad knowledge of everything we encountered. Geology, history and of course natural history. This was supported with plenty of audio and visual material.
Ed was excellent would thoroughly recommend
This was a Christmas present that delivered! I told the family that I really wanted to see Wild Boar so they bought me this experience. 10 boar later and I was a very happy guy. Thank you Ed for making this a successful evening.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Safari yesterday. Ed was very knowledgable and approachable and I learned a lot. I loved seeing our garden birds in a forest setting at dusk and the birdsong was amazing. The tawny owl at the end was fabulous too! The highlight was actually seeing wild boar - we were very lucky. Thank you so much.
Me and my boyfriend had the BEST time on our walking safari! It's such a beautiful part of the forest and we were able to see lots of beautiful wildlife – including a wild boar! Ed is an excellent host – so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and considerate. Thanks so much Ed!
Ed was an excellent host looked after myself and my friend who were the older members of the group.Very knowledgeable. Would recommend
It was a very informative and enjoyable tour. Ed is an incredibly knowledgeable and friendly guide. Our group was lucky to see a few wild boar and deer, plus we had a very comprehensive introduction to the bird population of the Forest of Dean. Fantastic experience!
Ed is tremendously knowledgeable about the animals, birds and flora in the Forest of Dean and very happy to share that knowledge and answer any questions. We had a great time and really enjoyed seeing a wide range of things with a very engaging host. The highlights for us were the wild boar and mandarin ducks.
Ed was a very knowledgeable host who shared his enthusiasm for nature with our group. I had a lovely evening spotting a variety of wildlife and would highly recommend to anyone, nature lover or not!
Enthusiastic, knowledgeable host, great environment, we enjoyed it very much (helped by perfect weather!)
Ed is extremely knowledgeable and really brought the forest alive for us. It was such a great and different way to spend an evening.
Ed was absolutely fantastic and an incredible host. His passion for wildlife and the forest really was infectious. I learned so much during this truly unique and enjoyable experience. Thank you!!
Such a lovely evening with Ed showing around a beautiful place. Got to see glimpses of the wildlife and learnt so much more about the habitat and birds in the area. Fabulous - thanks!
This is such an amazing and exciting experience. Ed is a brilliant guide - so knowledgeable, passionate and engaging. We had a really memorable time and even saw some wild boar and piglets along the way!
Great experience. Ed was really knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We saw some really lovely woodland and were lucky to see the Boar and Deer.
The group size was perfect as it meant the tour was personal.
A really informative and enthusiastic guide! We had a brilliant evening and loved learning more about the fauna and flora of the Forest of Dean.
This is the second guided walk I’ve done with Ed. He is an excellent host and very knowledgeable. It’s great to learn about the nature around us.
This is a truly awesome experience with an experienced and passionate guide. Ed really brought the forest to life, pointing out vital signs of the flora and fauna giving a new understanding of the Forest of Dean. Great sightings of both wild boar and deer were the icing on the cake. Highly recommended.
Excellent. Ed was an great host, passionate and knowledge about the Forest of Dean. We saw some good birds on Cannop Ponds, deer in the Forest and we were lucky to have had superb Wild Boar views. The Forest is both interesting for natural history and it's social/industrial history.
Ed is a great guide who kept interested as we walked through two different environments. He showed us both the range of wildlife but also the impact of some of those wildlife.
Great evening in great company. Very interesting walk, heard and saw wildlife going about their routine, very exciting to be part of their environment.
Ed is very knowledgeable, patient and easy going, will recommend to our friends.
Fantastic wildlife safari with Ed Drewitt. Ed was very engaging and informative. Really enjoyed the experience.
Ed is an engaging guide who draws your attention to things you just wouldn’t have noticed without his knowledge. We also saw a sole fallow deer grazing in a woodland meadow and came within feet of a pack of wild boar who thundered off through the bracken when they realised we were close by. Recommended!
Ed is an excellent host. A very enjoyable experience. Hearing wild boar a few feet away and seeing a beautiful, pregnant fallow deer were the highlights.
A very enjoyable evening with a knowledgeable host in Ed Drewitt and like minded companions. Heard and saw numerous birds, sightings of deer and a very close encounter with the elusive wild boar. Ed taught us to look for the clues of the wild life in the magical Forest of Dean. Highly recommended.
A regular walk brought to life with the relaxed but informative style of Ed Drewitt
Ed was a great guide who had so much knowledge of the nature, history and geography of the Forest of Dean. His enthusiasm is infectious and he led us on a fascinating early evening tour on which we heard wild boar and signs of their digging and wallowing. We saw fallow deer, Woodcoks flying, Mandarin Ducks, greylag geese and other water fowl. We also heard lots of bird song which Ed was able to identify for us but even i could recognise the owl hoots (Tawny Owl).
It was a great evening.
Very enjoyable walk and I learnt lots from Ed, who is very friendly and knowledgeable.
Christmas Present no idea of cost. Instructions for arrival clear and concise. Enjoyed hugley Ed set the scene on landscape and its heritage. Helped to pick out birds - would not have been able to appreciate the birds without his guidance and support. No boar/deer did not detract on the day. However, whole experience was enjoyable - 2 hours was the right length. Not suitable for young children - as the get older I am sure they would appreciate it. Would recommend to friends and family
The activities are held outdoors at a time when there are few to no other people around and social distancing is easy to achieve. Participants will use their own transport and only those not experiencing any covid-19 symptoms will be permitted to attend.
Your host follows the current government guidelines on groups sizes. The covid-19 risk assessment is part of the overall risk assessment completed.
The safari times can vary depending on the sunset - these will be advised on booking
You will be out for around 2 hours and walk approx 1.5 to 2 miles (2.4km - 3km) at a steady or slow pace taking in the scenery, sounds and wildlife along the way
Walking is along well-surfaced tracks and you are able to venture off onto smaller paths and gentle uphill or downhill terrain
Torches, binoculars and weather-appropriate clothing are advised
Ed's got a passion for wildlife. He enjoys taking people out to see and experience it. Ed offers training courses on identifying birds and their songs. He has been studying urban peregrine falcons for the past 20 years and is the author of Urban Peregrines. He's got an educational background so is always on a quest to learn new things.
Liz is a freelance naturalist, writer, editor and artist with over 20 years of experience studying, writing about and watching wildlife, as well as editing books about the natural world. She has a passion for the Forest of Dean, with a particular interest in its wild boar, and can’t wait to introduce you to this enchanting landscape and its fascinating wildlife.
Ask your question directly to Ed and Liz Drewitt.