The Spires

The Spires is a proper woodland walk through dense forest just inland from Porthcawl, and it's the sort of place that rewards you for getting off the main tourist trail. The trees here are tall - really tall - and they create these natural corridors that make you feel like you're miles from anywhere, even though civilization is minutes away.

You're walking through conifer woodland mainly, with paths that wind through the canopy. It's peaceful, genuinely so. There's something about the scale of it that draws you in - the height of the trees, the way the light filters through. On a grey Welsh afternoon it's atmospheric; on a sunny day it's proper lovely. The walk itself isn't particularly demanding, which makes it ideal if you've got kids who need to burn off energy without you needing proper hiking boots.

This works well as a break from a holiday park stay - Trecco Bay is just down the road and a couple of hours here clears the head nicely. It's free to access and you can do anything from a quick 30-minute loop to a longer ramble depending on how much time you've got. The main appeal is the forest itself rather than a specific destination or viewpoint, so don't expect dramatic vistas. What you get instead is quiet and shade and the smell of pine.

Worth a visit if you're in the area and fancy something less touristy than Porthcawl's seafront attractions. Bring waterproofs though - the canopy keeps things damp.