Stunning UK rainforest with a waterfall and thriving wildlife dubbed a ‘must-visit’ spot
- UK Hidden Gems
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
Many people know that the UK is home to beautiful woodland walks, peaceful lakes, flowing rivers, beaches and stunning waterfalls.
However, what might surprise you is that the UK also has its very own rainforests.
These lush habitats, known for their heavy rainfall and thick, diverse plant life, are usually linked with tropical places like the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil.
UK travel creator Amy Hulley recently explored Lydford Gorge in Devon, the deepest river gorge in the South West, which is home to a temperate rainforest, a rare type of habitat found in very few places around the world. She shared her adventure in a TikTok video.
In the short clip, which featured the text “The UK has a rainforest… and it looks like this”, Amy walks along a narrow path surrounded by a canopy of trees. The video also shows a waterfall and dense green plants that make the area look like a scene from a fairytale.
Her caption read: “This is one of the UK’s rare temperate rainforests. These magical places cover less than 1% of the UK’s land, but they’re full of moss-covered trees, ferns and incredible wildlife.
Other examples can be found along the west coast of Scotland and in parts of Wales.”
She added: “I was so happy to finally visit and see one for myself. There’s something truly special about walking through a place where nature feels so alive and vibrant.”
The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, has shared more about these amazing habitats, also known as Atlantic or Celtic rainforests. The charity describes them as “special” and “incredibly rare”, even saying they may be “more threatened than tropical rainforests.”
According to the Woodland Trust, the “lush conditions” in these forests create the perfect environment for rare plants, lichens, fungi, and a wide range of birds and animals.
It explains: “Also called Atlantic woodland, temperate rainforest thrives in areas close to the sea where there’s lots of rain and humidity but not much change in temperature.”
“This unique woodland, filled with ancient oak, birch, ash, pine and hazel trees, is made even more beautiful by open clearings, boulders, crags, ravines and flowing river gorges.”
The Woodland Trust says the UK’s rainforests are part of what’s known as the Coastal Temperate Rainforest biome.
These special conditions are found along the UK’s western coastline, including the west of Scotland, north and west Wales, Devon, Cornwall, Cumbria and parts of Northern Ireland.
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Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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