Shell Woods Forestry Commission Car Park

The car park at Shell Woods is where most people abandon their vehicles before heading into the forest on foot - and that's rather the point. Located just outside Bodmin, this is a genuine working Forestry Commission facility, not some visitor attraction with a gift shop and a café. It's the jumping-off point for some proper walking through mixed woodland that actually feels like you've left civilisation behind.

The woods themselves are the draw here. There are marked trails threading through the trees, with tracks that suit everyone from family groups to serious hikers. The forest floor is soft underfoot, and on a decent day there's real peace to be found among the conifers and broadleaves. You're looking at anything from an hour's gentle stroll to a half-day ramble depending on which route you pick.

Walkers will absolutely get the most from this. It's not a destination you'd drive three hours for on its own, but if you're camping at nearby Camp De Lank or spending time exploring Bodmin Moor, Shell Woods makes for a proper break from the open moorland. The contrast works well - bleak moor one day, tree cover the next.

Free to park and use, as far as I can establish. Go early on weekends if you can, as the car park fills up when the weather turns decent. Autumn is particularly good here - the light filters through in that way it only does when leaves are turning. Allow two to three hours minimum if you're actually walking, longer if you're the type to sit still and listen.