The Warren

The Warren is a proper woodland walk through dense forest that feels genuinely remote despite being just outside Condicote in Gloucestershire. You're walking through thick woodland with a real sense of enclosure - the canopy blocks out most of the sky, and it's the sort of place where you notice birdsong properly because there's not much else competing for your attention.

It's best suited to walkers and families with older kids who won't complain about tree roots and uneven ground. Younger children might find it a bit samey after twenty minutes or so, but if you're after proper woodland air and don't mind getting a bit muddy, you'll get what you came for. The forest itself doesn't have dramatic viewpoints or attractions at the end - the point is the walk itself, the way the light filters through the leaves, the occasional clearing where you can actually breathe properly.

Allow a couple of hours if you want to do it justice rather than power through. It's free to wander, no gates or admission charges, though you'll want decent walking boots. Spring and autumn are best - spring for the new growth, autumn when the light goes golden and low through the trees. Summer can feel airless and buggy.

If you're staying at Cotswolds Meadow Glamping just down the road, this makes for a solid morning or afternoon outing. It's the kind of walk that settles you before heading back to base for lunch.