This is a Forest View on Forest Views, inspired by a frequent journey I make to Abergavenny. That town is surrounded by three distinctive mountains (or hills, depending on which definition you accept), namely the Blorenge, the Skirrid and Sugar Loaf. From St Johns Road, Cinderford, these three mountains can be seen in a landscape view with the central Forest in the foreground and these dramatic Welsh mountains in the distance, arising mysteriously from the Gwent levels.

For a dramatic view in the opposite direction, Cinderford also offers another spectacular viewpoint. On Littledean Road, the whole of the winding lower Severn opens up from Arlingham to Gloucester, and as well as the Severn far below you can see the glorious Gloucester Cathedral and now the not quite so glorious Javelin recycling centre at Javelin Park just south of Gloucester. I must admit that when the site was set up a few years ago I thought that such a mighty refuse site would detract from the Littledean Hill viewing experience. But I must confess now that Javelin Park has now established itself as an interesting feature of the Gloucester area landscape.

You get sweeping and usually gentle views of the river, except at flood or bore times. Sometimes the River Sever seems empty that you feel that you could walk across it, but that is definitely not recommended.

On the journey from Cinderford to Newnham there is a viewpoint on the Littledean to Newnham road where you may park and view the Severn from a new perspective. At Severn bore time you can feel the energy of the bore as it rushes past you when you are at the riverside, but a higher viewpoint gives a wide view.

Near this point there is track off into the forest to Blaize Bailey, where there used to be a great view of Newnham and the Arlingham isthmus loop of the Severn. Unfortunately this view is now partially obscured by new trees relentlessly growing from tiny saplings to spoil the view. Newnham has now almost disappeared, but the Arlingham meander is clearly visible. As I’ve mentioned before this will inevitably be gobbled up by Gloucestershire when the inevitable extreme bore surge overcomes the river banks at Saul. The flood waters will rush through to meet the river further down at Upper Framlington, separating Arlingham from the Cotswolds and making the village part of the Forest.

This will leave an ox bow lake where Severn from Saul to Upper Framlington formerly flowed. This will eliminate the awkward U turns in the river and make it less fun for the bore surfers. This is bound to happen some time in the next thousand years, just mark my words.