Underhill Wood

The trees here are dense enough that you lose the sky within seconds of leaving the car park. Underhill Wood, just outside Mells in Somerset, is proper woodland - the kind where you can actually breathe in that earthy, damp smell and forget you're still in civilisation.

It's a straightforward walk through beech and oak, well-trodden paths that work equally well for families with younger legs or anyone just wanting a decent hour in the fresh air without faffing about with maps. The wood doesn't demand anything from you - no dramatic viewpoints or Instagram moments, just trees, birdsong, and the occasional shaft of light breaking through the canopy.

Walkers will find this genuinely therapeutic. It's close enough to Mells that you could easily combine it with a wander round the village itself, which has a proper charm without being twee. If you're staying at Glamping on the Hill, just up the road, this is the perfect antidote to a day of lounging about - get your steps in, clear your head, and be back for a coffee before lunch.

The wood doesn't feel exploited or over-managed. You won't find visitor centres or themed trails, just forest as forest should be. It's free to access, open year-round, and absolutely worth the short detour if you're based anywhere in the area. Give yourself ninety minutes to proper explore it without rushing.