The Folly

The Folly is a proper woodland walk just outside Cirencester, where ancient trees and forest paths give you the sense you've stumbled into something genuinely wild. It's not a manicured country estate or a tourist trap - just a forest with character, the kind of place where you actually notice the light filtering through the canopy rather than checking your phone every five minutes.

What you're doing here is straightforward: walking. There are established paths threading through the trees, and the whole thing feels unhurried. It's the sort of spot where you'll spot woodland birds, find moss-covered fallen logs, and genuinely disconnect. Don't come expecting dramatic views or facilities - there's nothing of that sort. What you get instead is solitude and the smell of damp earth.

Walkers will get the most from this. Families with young children might manage an hour or so before boredom sets in, depending on how keen they are on tree-spotting. History enthusiasts will appreciate that Gloucestershire's Forest of Dean is nearby, so if you're doing a broader forestry tour of the region, The Folly fits nicely as a quieter alternative.

If you're based at Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park or Bracelands Campsite - both within a few miles - this is worth a morning or afternoon detour. It won't take all day, but it breaks up a park holiday well. Go when it's not raining if possible; muddy paths here get properly squelchy. Free access, as far as anyone can tell, and no restrictions on when you visit.