Broom Plantation

Walking into Broom Plantation feels like stepping into someone else's woodland - all towering conifers and that particular shade of green you only get when trees are properly packed together. It's a working forest near Perth, the sort of place that works well if you want peace and quiet rather than ice cream vans and playground equipment.

There's a decent network of paths threading through the trees, some proper hikes and others short loops you can manage in an hour. The ground's soft underfoot, which is either lovely or muddy depending on the weather - I'd say go in the drier months unless you fancy a mud bath. It's genuinely quiet in here, which means kids either find it brilliant or get bored after twenty minutes. Walkers and anyone chasing a bit of forest air will get the most out of it.

There's no visitor centre or facilities that I could find, so come prepared - bring water, wear decent boots. It's free to wander, though the woodland does feel like it belongs to someone, so respect the place.

If you're staying at Broadslap Farm or Luxury Hideaways, both within five miles, this makes a proper alternative to pavement bashing in Perth town centre. It's not flashy, but that's rather the point. The forest doesn't try to be anything other than what it is - which is refreshingly honest.