Brazil Wood

The woodland around Barrow upon Soar doesn't announce itself loudly, which is rather the point. Brazil Wood is a proper bit of ancient forest - the kind of place where you might actually spot something interesting rather than just trudge past the same tired beech trees you see everywhere else. The wood sits on the edge of the Charnwood Forest area, that strange volcanic landscape that looks like it's escaped from somewhere more dramatic than Leicestershire.

Walking through here feels different. The terrain's rougher, older somehow, with paths that wind rather than march in straight lines. You get proper woodland rather than plantation - oak, birch, hazel - which means there's life about. Mushrooms, birds, the occasional deer if you're quiet enough. It's not a destination in itself, but rather the sort of place you'd slot into a morning before heading elsewhere.

Allowed a couple of hours? That's plenty. Bring decent boots because it can be boggy after rain, and there's no obvious amenities at the wood itself. Free to wander, no car park fee that we could find. If you're staying at Hill Top Caravan Park just down the road - which actually gets decent reviews - this is on your doorstep. Charnwood Acres is also within striking distance.

Best for people who like their woodland with a bit of texture, not families wanting a playground or structured trails. It's the sort of walk that rewards a bit of route-finding. Go on a weekday morning and you might have the whole place to yourself.