Coed Pandy

Dense woodland clings to steep hillsides above Abergele, and Coed Pandy is where you'll find proper old-growth forest if you know where to look. It's a working woodland rather than a manicured country estate, which means tangled undergrowth, fallen logs, and the kind of gloom that makes you feel properly tucked away from the tourist trail.

The main draw here is the walking. Paths thread through ancient oak and beech, and on a damp afternoon the whole place smells like earth and mushrooms. It's not vast - you could cover it in an hour or so - but it's the kind of woodland walk that rewards paying attention: look for the small streams, the lichen on the north side of trees, bird life if you're quiet enough. Families with older kids will manage fine; younger ones might find the steeper sections tedious, and there's not much in the way of facilities or stops along the way.

Free to access and open year-round, it's the sort of place you go because you want woodland, not because there's an attraction attached. No tea room, no visitor centre, just trees. That's rather the point. If you're staying at Plas Farm Caravan & Lodge Park nearby, this is an excellent morning walk before heading into the seaside bustle of Abergele proper. Bring proper footwear - wet weather can make it squelchy - and go when the light's good, because the canopy is thick enough to swallow the afternoon.