Shervage Wood

The woodland floor here is thick with last season's leaves, and the air smells properly foresty - damp earth and rotting wood doing what they do best. Shervage Wood sits just outside Holford in Somerset, a genuine working forest rather than some manicured country estate, and that's exactly what makes it worth the detour.

Walkers get the most from this one. The paths wind through mature trees with enough variety to keep your legs interested without being relentless - you're looking at anything from a gentle wander to a proper afternoon's hike depending which route you take. The forest floor changes as you move through different sections, and you'll spot actual forestry work happening: coppicing, thinning, the sort of thing that reminds you this isn't just a park but a living, working landscape. Spring brings bluebells that'll stop you in your tracks; autumn the gold and rust light filtering through the canopy is genuinely lovely.

Kids do fine here, though it's not a destination attraction - they'll get an hour or so out of it before wanting something with more obvious action. Dog walkers absolutely love it. The woodland has that slightly wild quality to it, which beats the heavily maintained feel of some forests further south.

If you're based at Moorhouse Campsite just down the road, or even Haven Doniford Bay, Shervage fits perfectly as a morning outing without needing much planning. Free to access, open whenever you fancy turning up. Go when the light's good - early morning or late afternoon transforms the whole place.