Parking is a rip off at £7 so we parked in the village for free and walked over. The tree does indeed, as the news this week reported, look dead now but it's still an impressive sight. The trunk is humongous! Such a shame that what God created, man slowly destroyed by walking all over it's tree roots for 200 years to sell some lemonade and take some some selfies. The RSPB tried their best to save it, but no matter how much tech is applied, everything eventually dies.

Personally I felt they could do much more with the area and make it more family friendly. We absolutely loved the little independent shops especially the Forest Archer. The shopping area has a lot of charm as to why the rest seemed rather disappointing.

It really is such a beautiful place, there is a visitor centre and lots of gift shops and cafes, all reasonably priced. There is a car park which if you are a member of the RSPB is free, if not you have to pay.

Overall, this is a lovely place to visit, with well-maintained trails and a pleasant atmosphere for walking and enjoying nature. The only downside is the lack of rubbish bins along the trails, which can make it difficult to dispose of litter responsibly during longer walks. It’s also worth noting that the car park price listed on the website is not up to date. I paid £6.40 on my visit. Aside from these minor "issues", it’s a very enjoyable location that I would happily recommend.

Had a nice walk just after Christmas. Winter nature forest. Quite few walking trails from half hour up to more than 2 hours. For active leisure. Only pay for parking.