The Puzzle of Puzzlewood

I visited Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean for the second time yesterday. It is truly spectacular. I visited it last October and it was in the dying throes of Autumn, but its magnificence was incredible. This time I visited in Spring and it was breathtaking. I can see how it influenced Tolkein, it is surreal, Middle Earth meets reality.
It was so vividly green and twisted, a fairytale made real. I would thoroughly recommend that all photographers visit Puzzlewood, those that like Froud and Tolkein and all small children should also go. It is impossible to capture it in a photograph and do it justice. I tried and I failed....that could have been my lack of ability I guess, I prefer to blame the subject!
Puzzlewood is a puzzle on many levels. My first is commercial, why is this place so hidden from the public at large? I discovered it by accident and although there were quite a few people there and many TV bits have been filmed there, it is a little patch of paradise hidden from the World. In a sense I shouldn't complain, it means that I stand more chance of taking a shot devoid of people and have a fallback location that works come rain or shine, Summer or Winter.
The second puzzle of Puzzlewood for me, is how come the forest around Puzzlewood is different? It isn't as gnarled, it is more conventional and doesn't have the ancient character of Puzzlewood. I am sure there is a simple explanation, maybe the surrounding forest is more recent but I don't know.
I have a few new shots of it on my Flickr page, as I said, they really don't do it justice and I will certainly be heading back in Summer and early Autumn to see how it changes and to try my luck again.

It just amazes me that we are so lucky in the UK, to have these little pockets of heaven. Near me is Waddesdon Manor and estate, it is a haven, beautiful grounds, a good history and it has "that" feeling about it.
Cumbria and the Lakes is the obvious choice, as is the Peak District, both incredible and for different reasons. I like trees and water, the Forest of Dean, Morden Hall Park (for reflections), Kensington Gardens, Apsley Guise, Woburn Woods, Wendover Woods, all worth visiting. I have visited the Seven Sisters on a couple of occasions and have yet to take a definitive shot of them. If you go there then you must also visit Battle Abbey and Bodium Castle. If time allows then you must visit the magnificent ruin of Corfe and go see Blue Pool and maybe Pevensey Castle as well. I haven't ventured into the Northeast, Wales or Scotland yet, I still haven't visited East Anglia in detail, not even Essex and Kent, I haven't touched Birmingham or done enough in London. This Country is packed with things to see. It is fast becoming my quest in life to know England better. To know its character better.

Puzzlewood has it's puzzles but it was a chance discovery for me and it has left me with an evangelical feeling to sing its praises but it leaves me with a slight sadness, how many more places are there like this? How many more hidden jewels off the beaten track that I will never experience? Visit Puzzlewood and you will know what I mean.