Upton Wood

Walk into Upton Wood and you're immediately wrapped in that particular Somerset quiet - ancient oaks creating a cathedral ceiling, the forest floor soft with decades of leaf drop. It's proper woodland, the kind where you can actually hear birdsong without traffic noise competing. The wood sits just outside Mells, a village that's worth exploring in its own right once you've finished stretching your legs here.

This isn't a manicured forest park with colour-coded trails and visitor centres. It's a straightforward walk through genuine woodland, and that's exactly why people come. You'll find yourself on footpaths that wind between mature trees, plenty of room to let kids run ahead without losing sight of them, and the kind of damp, earthy smell that makes you remember why you bothered leaving home. The canopy is thick enough to keep things cool even on warmer days.

Walkers get the most from Upton Wood - it's ideal if you need a proper leg-stretch without a major hill. The paths are manageable year-round, though winter can get boggy in patches. Allow an hour to ninety minutes if you're not rushing, longer if you actually stop to sit and do nothing. There's no café or facilities, so bring what you need.

If you're staying at Glamping on the Hill or the Longleat Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite nearby, this makes a cracking morning or afternoon outing. Pair it with a wander around Mells village itself - there's actual character there, unlike many Somerset towns. The wood won't blow your mind, but it will properly reset you.