Harmer Moss Plantation

A sprawling conifer plantation that feels properly remote despite being just outside Shrewsbury. Harmer Moss is the sort of place where you can walk for hours without seeing another soul - which is either brilliant or mildly eerie depending on your mood. The trees are dense and tall, creating that cathedral-like hush you get in old forests. It's not the prettiest woodland in Shropshire; the regimented rows of conifers lack the character of deciduous forests. But that's precisely why locals love it for a long forest walk.

You're looking at a decent half-day outing if you explore the main paths thoroughly - allow two to three hours to feel you've actually been somewhere. Walkers and those after proper countryside quiet will get more from it than families with young kids; there's not much in the way of drama or views that'll hold a five-year-old's attention for long.

Access seems to be freely available, though facilities are minimal to nonexistent. Go when it's dry - the paths can get boggy and slippery after rain. Spring brings bluebells in places, which lifts the whole experience.

If you're based at Lower Lacon or Springfield Riverside, both within a few miles, Harmer Moss makes an excellent leg-stretcher between longer attractions. It won't be the highlight of your Shropshire break, but it's proper, honest woodland walking without the crowds you'd find at more famous spots.