Huelgoat Forest

This ancient forest on the flanks of the old-rocked Monts d’Arrée in central Brittany south of Morlaix is marvellous and fascinating – and somewhat other-worldly.

It is a rough, steep land around the deep gorge of the river Argent, and is mostly covered in truly timeless and ethereally beautiful mixed forest which has presumably survived because of its inaccessibility.

The bottom of the valley is a crazed jumble of enormous boulders, all covered in moss and ferns, with beech and other trees growing cheerfully between them and glowing vivid green in the shafts of sunlight (we can only imagine the beauty in Autumn).

 You will meet deep grottoes below unthinkably large pinioned boulders, waterfalls and meltingly pretty brown-watered pools.

Explore on good trails deep into the valley, half the way along the lip of a little and old, but still busily water-carrying, canal. Climb up a side-valley to a cave and camp associated with the Arthurian legend – although the camp you will meet was in fact a Celtic camp which was later used by the Roman army.

Fantastic, if busy near town; and its crossing by a road does diminish the remoteness! Particularly beautiful in Autumn.

Well written up in Walking in Brittany by Judy Smith.

See our Brittany page for more general and practical information and photos.

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