Caehendy Wood

A proper woodland walk rather than a manicured tourist trap, Caehendy Wood sits in Carmarthenshire just a short drive from Swansea. The forest floor is thick with leaf litter and moss - the kind of place where you actually feel like you've stepped away from things rather than just walked fifty metres from a car park.

You're looking at mixed woodland with decent paths threading through, nothing too demanding. The canopy closes in nicely, which means it's lovely and cool even on warm days, and the light filters through in that particular way woodland light does. There's a real sense of the forest doing its own thing here without much faffing about from management.

Walkers will get the most from Caehendy. Not because it's specially dramatic - it isn't - but because the quiet appeal builds as you move deeper in. Kids might find it interesting for an hour if they're the type to spot wildlife and turn over logs; younger children could get restless without a specific trail or destination marked out. Families wanting a longer woodland outing might be better served heading to one of the bigger forest parks in the area.

If you're staying at Gateway Resort or South Wales Touring Park, Caehendy makes a solid half-day walk without requiring you to trek miles. Allow a couple of hours if you're taking your time. Bring proper footwear - the ground gets boggy in places. Best visited after a dry spell when the paths aren't churned mud.