These views are just 58 minutes by car (37.8 miles) from Cwmbran. Mallards Pike is a Forestry England site in the Forest of Dean.
I’d never heard of it until last night when I did my occasional search for places to visit within an hour of Cwmbran. This beauty spot is just under 60 minutes away – but as I sit here writing this review at 7pm, Google Maps tells me it’s 53 minutes. That’s traffic for you.
What a gorgeous find. I think some Parkrun fans will say they already knew all about Mallards Pike – it hosts a weekly 5km event at 9am every Saturday.
We arrived expecting to pay a few quid to park and were met with one of those signs that makes you want to punch the air – and yes, I did. The pay‑to‑park machines were out of order, with a note saying that due to an IT problem affecting the phone line, there were no parking charges today. As a Cwmbran man raised on free parking (yes, I know it’s effectively subsidised by businesses), every pound I put in a machine hurts.
If you do plan a visit, expect to pay £2.50 if you’re in and out by 10.30am, £4 for up to two hours, £6 for up to four hours, and £8 all day.
Loop of the lake
We took our dog and started with a loop of the lake that greets you as soon as you park. The short walk from your car to the water gets you in the mood, with glimpses of the lake through the trees.
It’s about twice the size of Cwmbran Boating Lake, with a smooth circular path.
A group of excited schoolchildren were climbing into boats as we walked. By the time we reached the Mallards Pike café for a coffee (£3.80 for a latte, £3.50 for lemon shortbread), they were racing boys vs girls across the lake. You know those school days that stick with you forever? They were having one of those — rowing like mad in a beautiful forest. Perfect weather, great coffee and a bit of live sport.
After our drinks, we set off on a more adventurous/ədˈvɛn(t)ʃ(ə)rəs/ walk and accidentally found ourselves on the clearly marked 5km parkrun route. Later I learned there are also 2km, 3km and 10km routes.
Plenty of shade
Long straight paths, gentle-ish inclines and plenty of shade – it was so nice. The parkrun website describes the surface as “hardcore forest tracks” and that’s spot on: it’s bumpy in places so wear sensible shoes.
By the time we reached the lakeside café again, we’d built up an appetite. I ordered a sausage sandwich (£5.65) and a Mallards butty (egg, sausage and bacon) with a can of Coke to share (£1.95).
If we’d planned better, we could have brought a picnic. One family had balloons and big boxes of food for a lakeside children’s party.
I noticed three tables of people just staring out at the view – no phones. I mentioned it to my wife. Five minutes later we realised there was no phone signal in this area, so we became the fourth table of lakeside daydreamers. A good thing, of course.
If you plan a visit, check the site’s website beforehand – it’s full of useful info on opening times and more.