Allt Aberhalen

Walking into Allt Aberhalen feels like stepping behind a curtain - suddenly you're surrounded by proper old-growth woodland that's managed to escape the worst of modern intervention. The forest spreads across a decent chunk of Carmarthenshire near Llandysul, with paths that wind through dense tree cover and alongside streams that actually make noise rather than just trickling apologetically.

It's the sort of place where you notice things. Moss on everything. The way light filters through the canopy in strips. Small burns cutting through the valley floor. There's no visitor centre or marked-up interpretation boards, which is either brilliant or frustrating depending on how you feel about forests that don't hold your hand.

Walkers will get the most from this - bring decent boots and allow a couple of hours to actually see something. Families with older kids (eight plus) will manage fine on the main paths, but the terrain gets muddy and rooty enough that pushchairs are a non-starter. You won't find anything specifically exotic or rare, but the woodland itself is genuinely restorative in the way only mature forests manage.

Admission appears to be free, though information is thin on the ground. Spring and autumn are best - summer can feel a bit claustrophobic under full leaf cover, and winter reveals the structure of the place more honestly. It pairs perfectly with a stay at one of the luxury glamping sites nearby - Embrace the Space or Let's Glamp Retro are both within easy reach - giving you that forest-bathing experience followed by an evening in a hot tub.