The United Kingdom has such an array of wonderful country parks, forests, and estates that it would be impossible to visit them all in one lifetime. As with all countries, the tales told about some of these forests are quite scary and terrifying.
One would do well to avoid some of the wooded areas on this list as they are not for the faint of heart. Whether you choose to believe these stories or not, read on to find out about forests in Britain that we bet you would not enter at night.
Epping Forest
The Epping Forest is a massively sprawling area of woodland which straddles the border between London and Essex. It is somewhat known as a burial area for murder victims due to its proximity to London. In fact, many victims of the Kray twins are supposedly buried there.
As a result, the forest is notorious for ghostly sightings or contact from the other world. Some people have even reported being touched, pushed, or chased in the forest!
Great Wood
The grand estate at Blicking Hall, known as the Great Wood, is the reported site of the ghost of Anne Boleyn. Blickling Hall has been suggested as the birthplace of Boleyn, and the estate was owned by her father. Therefore, both Anne and her father, Thomas Boleyn, are said to haunt the premises.
On the anniversary of her execution on May 19, she is supposedly seen riding from the woods up to the hall on a coach drawn by four beheaded horsemen. When she arrives at the hall, her coach vanishes. It is said that she is headless.
After vanishing, the ghostly apparition is known to traverse the corridors of Blickling Hall for the remainder of the night while clutching her own head. Thomas, who was also beheaded, is said to be seen crossing bridges repeatedly in what is described as repentance for allowing his daughter’s beheading.
The estate is open to the public year-round, and visitors can learn more about the infamous ghostly inhabitants. But just avoid May 19 if you can don't go there during this time.
The New Forest
The New Forest has been described as the “most haunted part of Britain” due to the sheer number of sightings reported every year. The forest is situated in the county of Hampshire and covers a large part of the southern tip of England near Southampton.
Supposedly, the forest is home to a number of poltergeists and spirits that have multiple reported sightings. One of the more famous is that of King William II, who was killed by his own brother in the woods. He is said to inhabit the area near the Rufus Stone and is reported to have red hair. Therefore, he has been dubbed “Rufus the Red.”
On the outskirts of the New Forest near Fordingbridge, you may see a group of ghostly monks who walk the churchyard at Breamore. These monks are said to appear near stone coffins before disappearing into the misty tree line.
Fountains Abbey
Found near Ripon in Yorkshire, Fountains Abbey is the one of the best-preserved Cistercian monasteries in the UK. Cistercians were groups of Catholic monks who were confined to monasteries, and this is one of the more famous in the world.
The abbey was established in 1132. It has long been said that the voices of the deceased monks can be heard at the Chapel of Nine Altars. The eerie presence of the ghostly monks is probably down to the fact that as many as 2,000 of them could buried under the abbey.
Witches Wood
Witches Wood can be found in Lydford Gorge in the southwestern county of Devon. The wood is said to be home to a number of ghostly visitors. Parts of the walk into and through the gorge have been described as being “completely surrounded by trees,” so much so that even during the day it can feel dark.
Once through the gorge, the main feature can be reached: the 30-meter (98 ft) White Lady Waterfall. In the local area, the waterfall is said to be named after a mysterious white lady who has been seen under the waterfall. Supposedly, she wears a flowing white gown and saves people from drowning in the river.
Cannock Chase
Cannock Chase is a large countryside area in Staffordshire with dense forestry and open areas. The region was made infamous in the 1960s due to a series of grisly murders of schoolgirls.
However, it has been known to be haunted before this public attention. The Four Crosses, an old public house in Cannock Chase, is said to have a high level of poltergeist activity. The sounds of children crying, the movement of objects, and strange footsteps are just a few of the occurrences there.
Wistman’s Wood
Wistman’s Wood is a high-altitude oak woods on a large moor known as Dartmoor. The woods used to be part of a larger covering of woodland on Dartmoor. A lot of the trees are covered with lichen, which makes them look creepier than usual.
This was described by Countryfile magazine as “making the trees look like writhing arms grabbing fistfuls of passing witches’ hair.” It’s also highly inaccessible to wild animals on foot, so the woodland takes on an undisturbed and overgrown look.
