The National Forest & Beyond tourism partnership has launched its 2015 Visitor Guide at the National Trust's newly opened Arts and Crafts cottage, Stoneywell, in Leicestershire.

Stoneywell and its unique history – it was built as a summer residence in Charnwood, part of The National Forest, by locally born architect-designer Ernest Gimson – is one of the attractions highlighted in the new guide. Heritage writer Neil Jones visited the hobbity, stone-built cottage, with its zigzag slate rooflines and giant chimneystack, and was completely charmed: “It's a storybook come to life.”

Guardian travel writing competition winner Graham Hood and his family found a glamorous camping break at The Dandelion Hideaway, just outside the Forest near Market Bosworth, to be “an irresistible blend of thrills and tranquillity, with bike rides, bug hunts, campfires and canvas.”

National Forest blogger Hazel McDowell wrote about her experience walking the National Forest Way last summer.  She enjoyed “the feast of butterflies, dragonflies, bees and wildflowers” near Walton on Trent, and the “dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy of mature trees at Martinshaw Wood.” The 75-mile long distance walking trail is divided into 12 stages to make it easy to enjoy as a series of weekend rambles, as well as walking the whole length in one go.

John Everitt, Chief Executive, National Forest Company, said: “We are delighted to have launched the new National Forest & Beyond Visitor Guide at Stoneywell, the National Trust's first property in Leicestershire. The cottage, the grounds and its fascinating history make it a fantastic addition to the National Forest & Beyond destination and we look forward to working with the Trust to encourage more day trips and short breaks to Leicestershire and the wider National Forest.

“The new Guide captures the essence of The National Forest with plenty of ideas and inspiration for day trips and short beaks, and the voices of Forest residents and national travel writers make for great reading.”

Stoneywell has been restored in the style of the 1950s, when the last of the Gimson family moved into the house. The house echoes with family fun, train sets, Swallows and Amazons books, homely furnishings and intriguing insights into their domestic life.

In addition to the fascinating house, the grounds are delightful and full of spring flowers, and visitors can walk through much of the beautiful SSSI woodlands.

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Media contact:  Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, National Forest Company, on 01283 551211; email: crowntreejones@nationalforest.org or Richard Drakeley, Tourism Development & Promotions Officer, 01283 551211 email: rdrakeley@nationalforest.org

For more information on The National Forest see www.nationalforest.org

Digital images are available. Contact media@nationalforest.org

NOTES TO EDITORS: 

1. The National Forest & Beyond is a partnership of East Staffordshire Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, South Derbyshire District Council and the National Forest Company, brought together to promote The National Forest and the surrounding area as a destination for short breaks and days visits.
2. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.  Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover in the Forest has more than trebled to 19.8 per cent and in 2012 HRH the Duke of Cambridge planted the eight millionth tree in the Forest. 
3. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest.  The National Forest provides environmental, social and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus both to economic regeneration and to community pride and activity. 
4. To achieve these objectives, the National Forest Company leads the creation of The National Forest, working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, private business, voluntary organisations and local communities and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public.  The Company receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 
5. The National Forest Company's Triennial Review by Central Government in 2013 stated: “Many [stakeholders] stressed the need for the continued role of the NFC to maintain momentum and ensure that the long term aims for The National Forest are achieved. The importance of a 'truly sustainable landscape scale project' was stressed, with the need for continued objectives across a wide agenda including economic growth, woodland culture and habitat networks.” 
6. In 2008, the National Forest Company and partners won the inaugural Sustainable Development UK Award, for their work in Ashby Woulds, at the heart of The National Forest.