Treworder Wood

Walk into Treworder Wood and you're immediately swallowed by proper old-growth woodland - the kind where sunlight filters through in gold stripes and the floor squelches pleasantly underfoot. It's a genuine working forest rather than a manicured nature reserve, which means it feels less polished but far more real.

The woods sit near Egloshayle, inland from the north coast, and they're excellent for a solid couple of hours of exploring. There are informal paths threading through the trees, though nothing particularly signposted or formal - bring decent boots because it gets boggy in places. Walkers and families with older kids will get the most from it; very young children might struggle with the uneven ground and lack of facilities.

It's free to wander, and there's no visitor centre or café, so pack a flask if you're stopping long. Spring brings bluebells if you time it right, and autumn transforms the canopy into burnt orange and copper. The wood feels genuinely wild - you'll hear birdsong properly rather than background noise.

If you're staying at St Minver Holiday Park or the five-star Porthilly Beach Holiday Park for a week, Treworder makes a solid half-day outing when the beach is crowded or weather-dependent. It's quiet without feeling remote, and there's real forest air that beats the car park scramble at better-known spots. Not Instagram-famous, which is precisely why it's worth the drive.