People think this UK park is straight out of Canada with huge forest and waterfall trails
THE Hafren Forest in Wales has been likened to a national park in Canada by visitors thanks to its stunning views and walking routes.
Planted by the Forest Commission in the 1930s, visitors flock to the Welsh forest throughout the year.
In recent months, several of those visitors have taken to social media to compare Hafren Forest to Canada.
Earlier this year, Instagram-user JessieAnnLewis wrote: “A hidden gem, Hafren Forest is a short drive from the mid Wales town of Llanidloes and well worth a visit.
“The boardwalk not far from the carpark looks like something out of a Canadian postcard.”
Meanwhile, Tom and Leanne, who are known as Adventure Amore on Instagram, added: “This walk showcases some of the most amazing scenery Wales has to offer and the views you get on this stunning walk immediately will have your thoughts drifting away to pine forests of Canada or Alaska.”
Named after the River Severn, which flows through Hafren Forest, the Welsh forest is home to waterfall walks and forest trails.
The trails are marked from the car park, with visitors able to walk to the source of the River Severn, which lies just outside the boundary of the forest.
Other walking trails like the Severn-Break-its-Neck take ramblers through a wildflower meadow with a broadwalk section.
The route crosses a footbridge where the River Severn floods down a gully and forms a waterfall.
Visitors can then return to the car park on a forest road.
Other walking routes include Cascades Walk, a short 30-minute walk that follows a sloping path from the car park to the broadwalk.
There are other trails holidaymakers can follow, including Blaen Hafren Falls Trail and the Source of the Severn Trail.
Visitors have praised Hafren Forest on TripAdvisor, with one person writing: “A beautiful place with many scenic walks”.
Another added: “I have to say Hafren Forest is probably one of the picturesque places I have ever been to.
“We have seen many places similar to this up and down the country, but this place is stunning.”
Hafren Forest is six miles west of Llanidloes – a small town in the heart of Wales.
There are plenty of other stunning woodlands and forests in the UK that British holidaymakers can visit.
Other forests to visit in the UK
One of those places is the New Forest National Park.
Set across Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire in Southwest England, The New Forest National Park is home to wild ponies, deer, hiking trails, and its very own theme park.
The summer is the best time to visit, with highs of 21C often forecast.
The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire is a former royal forest, dating back to before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
However, it’s more recently become known as a popular tourist hotspot, especially for movie buffs looking to find some of their favourite filming locations.
Among them is Puzzlewood, a part of the forest known for its twisted trees, rickety bridges and more than a mile of winding pathways.
Perhaps most famously, it was used as a location for the filming of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Inside the UK's free ‘indoor rainforest’
Exploring the Amazon rainforest or going on an adventure in the jungles of Borneo might seem like impossible dreams for some.
But at the heart of a UK city there’s a huge rainforest-like attraction, with hundreds of exotic plant species, that can be visited for free.
The Barbican conservatory in London is described as both a “utopia” and “a favourite” place for those living in the capital.
The indoor garden is the second largest conservatory in the city, but it doesn’t cost anything to enter, with guests able to meander around its walkways and paths at their leisure.
Small terrapins and exotic fish can be seen swimming in ponds inside, adding to the feeling that you’re in a tropical landscape.
Meanwhile, a national park in Wales has been likened to New Zealand by visitors.
And these are the best campsites to visit in the UK.