Although famous movies were not filmed here, it is believed that this forest was the inspiration for both Tolkien and Rowling.
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is a modern classic of the fantasy genre. Although the film was shot in New Zealand, it was actually in Europe that John Tolkien found the inspiration to write his fantasy saga.
According to the DailyMail, about two hours from London is the “ancient magical forest” of Puzzlewood, which is considered to be the prototype of the magical forests of Middle-earth. Tolkien is known to have loved walking the paths of Puzzlewood, so it is possible that it was here that he invented the regions of the Old Forest, the Лихолесье, Fangorn and Lorien.
The writer J.K. Rowling often walked around Puzzlewood. Therefore, there is a suggestion that its landscapes inspired her to create the Forbidden Forest, which appears in the Harry Potter series of novels.
Today, Puzzlewood is administratively located in the county of Gloucestershire in the south-west of England. This truly picturesque place is a national park with winding hiking trails.
Although neither The Lord of the Rings nor Harry Potter was filmed in Puzzlewood, separate scenes were shot here for some other TV shows and movies, including Star Wars.
Since it is a national park and not just a wild forest, visitors must pay an entrance fee. It costs £9.90 (US$13.40) for adults and £8.50 (US$11.50) for children.
The forest has a very complex landscape, which is due to its historical past. During the Roman Empire, iron ore was mined in this area. However, the mines were abandoned, and when the forest returned, it created a fantastic landscape where trees grow directly on rocks.
