Withington Hill Plantation

The woodland walk through Withington Hill Plantation is one of those quiet Gloucestershire spots that doesn't get the Instagram treatment, which is precisely why it's worth your time. You're looking at mixed broadleaf forest on the slopes above Cheltenham - proper old-school English woodland with beech, oak and ash providing decent cover even when the weather turns.

The plantation itself is straightforward stuff. Footpaths wind through the trees, and while it won't take your breath away like a moorland ridge, there's something restorative about walking under this canopy rather than traipsing round manicured gardens. The ground can get boggy after rain, so decent boots help. Plan on an hour or two depending on which paths you fancy - it's flexible rather than a destination in itself.

Families with primary-age kids will get a solid walk out of it. Older teenagers might find it a bit tame unless they're into nature spotting. The real crowd here tends to be locals and walkers tackling the longer trails through the Cotswold edges.

Based near Bourton-on-the-Water - just five or six miles down the road - you could easily slot this into a morning before heading to the village's proper attractions or riverside walks. It works as a warm-up woodland leg before hitting something more visually dramatic. Withington Hill won't be your trip highlight, but it's the sort of place that rounds out a proper Cotswolds break without any fuss.