Stolford Wood

Deep woodland paths and a proper sense of being tucked away from the world - that's what Stolford Wood delivers, just a short drive south of Taunton. It's a working forest rather than a manicured country estate, with mature trees, muddy trails, and the kind of peace you'd travel miles for. The walks are straightforward enough for families, though younger children might struggle with the softer ground after rain.

You're looking at anything from a quick thirty-minute circuit to a couple of hours if you want to really lose yourself in it. The beauty here is that it doesn't feel engineered for tourism - no visitor centre, no gift shop, just woodland doing what woodland does. That's either brilliant or slightly underwhelming depending on your mood. On a grey Somerset afternoon it felt properly atmospheric; come on a bank holiday weekend and you might find it busier than expected.

Walkers get the most out of this one. History enthusiasts won't find much to hook onto, and if your kids need waymarked trails with interpretation boards, they'll be disappointed. But if you're based at Middle Stone Farm Glamping or Waterrow Touring Park nearby and fancy a stretch of the legs without the crowds of a major country park, this fits the bill nicely. Free to access, as far as we could tell, which sweetens the deal considerably.