A picturesque, family-friendly walk
Enjoy an easy to follow trail in Harwood Forest near the Simonside Hills, aimed at families, with plenty to look out for and do along the route.
This trail follows a route within the forestry of Simonside, which is part of the larger Harwood forest area. The site is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission for both recreation and commercial forestry interests. There are a variety of tree species in the forest, mostly coniferous which means they have needles, bear cones and do not lose their leaves in winter. However, there are some deciduous trees too, which do lose their leaves in winter,such as Silver Birch.
The Simonside hills are alive with remains from the past. Archaeological remains litter the hillside and many are hidden throughout the forest. At the second junction you come to on your outward walk, and the point where you begin to retrace your steps on your return, a heather covered clearing in the trees boasts a burial cairn in its centre. This cairn was excavated in the 1890s and the stones from the central area were banked around the edge, revealing two cists, or chambers, beneath. These cists often contain evidence of cremations, and often pots, tools and other implements, and date back to the Bronze Age, about 6,000 years ago.
Download the PDF guide to Simonside Family Walk
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