Young Covert

The woodland track through Young Covert winds quietly between Somerset's mixed deciduous trees, offering proper escape from Yeovil's hustle without requiring a long drive. It's a modest patch of forest rather than some grand destination, but that's rather the point - walkers and families after a straightforward woodland ramble will find it does the job well.

The paths are manageable underfoot most of the year, and you're looking at a solid hour's walk if you meander properly. Spring brings bluebells in reasonable numbers, autumn colours are decent, and in summer the canopy provides genuine relief on warm days. Children usually find enough to occupy them - fallen logs to clamber over, the occasional glimpse of wildlife if you're patient and quiet.

No facilities that we could identify, so bring what you need. It's free access, which helps, and the car park situation seems reasonable though we'd suggest arriving earlier rather than later on weekends. The whole thing works brilliantly as a morning outing between breakfast and lunch, especially if you're camping at Long Hazel Park just four miles away. That caravan site's well-regarded, and pairing it with a few local woodland walks beats endless theme park queues.

Worth the detour if you're in the area with time to kill and want the kids away from screens. Don't expect drama or views - just honest forest and space to stretch your legs.