Branching Out in Thetford Forest: An 8.5km Adventure at Brandon Country Park

There is nothing quite like the feeling of pulling the campervan into a forest car park, knowing a day of fresh air and brilliant views awaits. Today we set our coordinates for Brandon Country Park in the heart of Thetford Forest.

We rolled in right around 11:00 am—the perfect time to beat the afternoon rush but late enough to justify an immediate pit stop. Before hitting the trails, we grabbed a quick, warming coffee and a snack to fuel up. After all, you can’t go into the woods on an empty stomach; you might pass out and leave everyone behind! (Okay, I promise the forestry jokes will only get marginally better from here).

A quick dive into the forest’s roots

Before I get to the walking, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the ground we were treading on. Thetford Forest is actually the UK’s largest man-made lowland forest. Back in the 1920s, after the First World War severely depleted the nation’s timber supply, the Forestry Commission stepped in and began planting thousands of acres of pines. They essentially looked at the barren heathland and said, “Wood you believe it, we can grow a forest here!”

Brandon Country Park itself has an even older, more eccentric history. The estate was originally established in the early 19th century by Edward Bliss, a man who made his fortune selling gun flints (flint knapping was a huge local industry). Bliss had a deep love for botany and planted an incredible variety of exotic trees from all over the world, including Giant Redwoods and Monkey Puzzles. Thanks to him, walking through Brandon is like taking a global botanical tour without ever leaving Suffolk.

Seeing Red (and Loving It)

Fully caffeinated and feeling a bit pine, we decided to start our journey on the Red Trail. It’s a fantastic route that winds you through the dense, atmospheric woodland. The light filtering through the tall pines creates this incredible striped pattern on the forest floor, and the scent of pine needles is instantly grounding.

We paced ourselves, enjoying the crunch of the forest floor and taking in the sights. I tried to tell my partner a joke about a fallen tree, but my delivery was a bit wooden.

Going the extra mile on the Purple Trail

As we completed the Red Trail, we looked at each other and realized we just weren’t ready to call it quits. Why do trees have so many friends? Because they branch out! And that’s exactly what we decided to do.

Feeling adventurous, we merged onto the much longer Purple Trail. This extended our hike significantly, taking us deeper into the heart of the estate, past ancient flint mausoleums, heathlands, and towering evergreens. By the time we looped back around to the parking lot, our GPS trackers chimed to let us know we had conquered a very respectable 8.5 kilometers. We were thoroughly exhausted, but in that deeply satisfying, fresh-air kind of way.

Back at the small restaurant, it was time for a well-deserved and hearty lunch, some fully loaded jacket potatoes and roast pepper soup. We threw open the rear doors on our campervan, letting the crisp forest breeze drift right through our tiny home on wheels and simply lay down on the bed, staring out at the towering trees we had just spent some time exploring. Watching the gentle sway of the branches from the cozy comfort of the van was an incredibly calming, almost meditative experience. It was the perfect, peaceful end to a beautifully active day.

If you are ever in the area, we can’t recommend Brandon Country Park enough. Just remember to pack your walking boots, fire up the kettle, and maybe brush up on your tree puns before you go. We are definitely rooting for you to visit!

Here are some photos of todays trip, click to see them in larger format and scroll through.