Charlton Brake

Deep woodland where the Cotswold edge starts to slope away towards the Severn Valley. Charlton Brake isn't a manicured forest walk - it's proper old-growth woodland with enough mature trees to make you feel genuinely away from it all, even though Stroud's only a few miles back the way you came.

The paths wind through dense beech and oak, muddy in places after rain, which adds to the authenticity of it. You're not walking past neat forestry commission plantations here. This is the kind of woodland where you actually want to stop and listen. The canopy does real work in summer, making it a cracking spot to escape the heat. In autumn, the light filters through fallen leaves in that way that makes people take photos they'll never quite capture properly.

It's ideal for walkers rather than casual strollers - you need decent boots and a bit of time to wander properly. Kids who like climbing on things will find fallen logs and low branches to clamber over. The kind who demand a visitor centre and an ice cream will get restless after an hour.

Free to visit, no facilities that I'm aware of - bring water and a packed lunch if you're settling in for a proper morning. Allow two to three hours minimum to make the effort worthwhile. Combines well with either Malmesbury Glamping at Whychurch Farm or Burton Hill Caravan & Camping Park as a base - both give you access to this woodland plus the broader Cotswold walking options in the area. Best visited autumn or early summer when the ground isn't churned to mud.