Bickham Wood Nature Reserve

You'll find yourself in a proper Somerset woodland just outside Chard, where Bickham Wood Nature Reserve offers something straightforward and unfussy - a chance to stretch your legs through trees without the crowds you'd get at better-known spots. The reserve is essentially what it says: woodland with walking paths, local wildlife if you're lucky, and the sort of peace that makes you remember why you came to the countryside in the first place.

It's the kind of place that suits walkers who aren't after a three-hour epic, families with younger kids who'll tire quickly, or anyone wanting a gentle hour between other activities. You're looking at a casual stroll rather than a destination in itself - the sort of walk you do because it's there and you've got the time, not because the guidebook promised magic. No facilities to speak of, so bring your own water and check the ground isn't waterlogged if it's been raining.

Based right near Chard, it sits well if you're staying at the nearby glamping sites - Dimpsey Shepherd's Hut or Hartridge Springs Spa are both close enough that you could pop in before breakfast or use it as a proper stretch between other plans. Free to access, naturally. Go early if the weather's halfway decent, as afternoon visitors seem to arrive all at once. It's not transformative, but it's exactly what a local nature reserve should be - accessible, unpretentious, and genuinely useful if you're in the area.