Cenarth Wood

The woodland around Cenarth feels properly wild - dense conifers mixed with broadleaves, the sort of place where you genuinely lose track of time. It's forest walking country, really, more than a destination with a car park and a café. You're looking at quiet trails threading through Mid Wales terrain, the kind of walking that rewards you with views across Powys when you push through to any clearings.

This works best for people who actually enjoy forests rather than those after a quick photo stop. Walkers will get hours out of it. Families with young kids might find it a bit one-note - just trees and more trees - unless they're the type who like making camps and building sticks into things. The nearest town is Llanidloes, about as small and genuine as Welsh towns come, so you're not exactly stepping out of wilderness into urban sprawl.

What makes it useful is the cluster of holiday parks within striking distance - Ty Llewelyn's only a few miles north if you want glamping, and there's Wyeside Caravan Park, Clywedog, and Glangwy Farm all within five or six miles. Perfect if you're based at one of those and want a proper forest walk that doesn't need booking or paying entrance fees. Come in autumn when the light filters through differently, or early summer before the midges get serious. Allow two to three hours minimum if you're doing anything beyond a quick potter. It's the sort of place that earns its keep by being genuinely quiet, which honestly is rare enough these days to be worth the detour.