Free Room on the Broom forest tour: all England dates

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-10 19:22 Updated: 17:26 3 min read

Sunlit dirt path winding through a lush green forest in England

Families can meet the Witch from Room on the Broom at 15 Forestry England sites between 29 July and 21 November 2026. Entry to the special appearance days is free, no booking is required, and meet-and-greet places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The nationwide family event marks the 25th anniversary of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s story. Alongside the character appearance, each participating forest will offer story-inspired activities and access to the existing Room on the Broom activity trail.

Room on the Broom appearance dates and forests

The tour begins at Hamsterley Forest in County Durham before travelling to forests across England. Salcey Forest is the only venue hosting appearances on two consecutive days.

Date	Forestry England site
Wednesday 29 July	Hamsterley Forest, County Durham
Thursday 30 July	Whinlatter Forest, Cumbria
Friday 31 July and Saturday 1 August	Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire
Thursday 6 August	Delamere Forest, Cheshire
Friday 7 August	Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire
Wednesday 12 August	Wyre Forest, Worcestershire
Thursday 13 August	Beechenhurst Forest, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Friday 14 August	Haldon Forest, Devon
Saturday 15 August	Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
Thursday 20 August	Alice Holt Forest, Hampshire
Friday 21 August	Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire
Saturday 22 August	Bedgebury Pinetum and Forest, Kent
Friday 28 August	High Lodge, Thetford Forest, Suffolk
Saturday 29 August	Jeskyns Community Woodland, Kent
Saturday 21 November	Moors Valley Country Park, Dorset

Most appearances fall during the summer holidays, although the final event takes place at Moors Valley Country Park on 21 November. Families considering other no-cost school-holiday outings can also see the free Summer of Fun dates in Bracknell Forest.

Free Room on the Broom forest tour: all England dates

What families can do during the visit

The Witch will appear for meet-and-greet sessions, while additional family-friendly activities will draw on the characters and ideas in the book. Forestry England says visitors do not need to reserve a place for the event itself, but families hoping to meet the Witch may want to arrive early because session capacity is first come, first served.

The accompanying woodland trail lets children step into the story through themed activities while exploring the forest. Walking the trail does not require families to buy the optional activity pack.

Kirstie Smith, Forestry England’s national marketing manager, said the events would bring together “outdoor adventure, imagination and fun” as the organisation celebrates 25 years of the book.

Free entry and the optional £4 trail pack

Admission to the special appearance days is free. Families can separately buy a Room on the Broom trail pack for £4, containing a themed lanyard, magic spell cards, stickers, a pencil and a pop-out craft for making a wand.

Forestry England has not supplied appearance times, transport guidance or accessibility details in the announcement. Visitors should check the organisation’s official Room on the Broom event listing for their chosen forest before travelling, particularly because the programme covers numerous sites and dates.

Source: Forestry England News

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Event dates, participating forests, entry arrangements and trail-pack contents were checked against Forestry England’s published information.

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