Tanner's Clump

The woods around Tanner's Clump feel properly ancient. You're walking through dense beech and oak forest just outside Stroud, with the kind of damp earth underfoot and bird calls overhead that make you forget you're in the Cotswolds at all. It's a short walk from the car park - maybe twenty minutes each way - but it rewards the effort with views across the valley that open up suddenly between the trees.

This is walker's territory, frankly. The paths can get boggy and the gradient isn't nothing, so it's not one for toddlers or anyone after a gentle stroll. Older kids and proper hikers will get the most from it. There's something satisfying about the relative quietness too - you won't fight crowds here like you do at the honeypot spots.

It's free to visit and works perfectly as a morning excursion if you're based at Malmesbury Glamping at Whychurch Farm or Burton Hill Caravan & Camping Park Ltd, both within a few miles. Either location gives you a solid base for exploring this corner of Wiltshire. The clump itself is worth the detour if you're in the area, though I'd avoid it straight after heavy rain when the paths become muddy troughs. Spring and autumn are lovely - you get the mood of the place without the summer crowds that gravitate toward prettier-looking spots elsewhere.