Cowleasow

The woodland around Cowleasow, just outside Market Drayton, is proper walking country. Shropshire's got some lovely forests, but this one rewards you with decent trails that don't feel overworked. You're looking at mixed woodland - the kind of place where you'll spot the odd patch of bluebells if you time it right, and the paths are generally well-maintained without that manicured theme-park feel.

It's a solid choice for families who've got kids old enough to manage an hour or so on foot. The forest isn't massive, which is actually a strength - you won't get lost for half the day, and there's enough variation to keep things interesting. Walkers will appreciate the quiet. Bring proper boots though; it gets boggy after rain, and there's no point pretending Shropshire clay turns to anything resembling a firm surface.

If you're staying nearby at Westcott Woods Glamping - which is only five and a half miles away and by all accounts excellent - this makes an easy morning or afternoon jaunt. The beauty of a forest in the middle of agricultural land like this is it feels genuinely away from things, without requiring a military operation to find parking or book ahead. Free to wander, and no time pressure whatsoever. You set the pace and the length. Worth building into a longer Shropshire walk, rather than treating it as a destination in itself.