Allt Rhyder-wen

The Towy Valley has some proper woodland walking, and Allt Rhyder-wen is where you'll find it - a forest tucked into the Carmarthenshire landscape just a few miles outside Carmarthen town. It's the sort of place where you can lose an afternoon without trying too hard, threading through trees and getting a real sense of rural Wales.

Walking is the main draw here. The forest offers decent trails through mixed woodland, nothing too dramatic but enough to feel like you've actually been somewhere when you emerge back at your car. The terrain's reasonable underfoot most of the time, so it suits families who aren't desperate for a mountain epic, though older kids will find it engaging rather than exciting. Allow two to three hours if you're being thorough.

It's free to access, which helps when you're staying at one of the caravan parks dotted around Towy Valley - Towy Valley Caravan Park itself sits just 2.5 miles away, while Route 47 Glamping and Ravenscroft Retreats offer posher camping alternatives within a stone's throw. After a day or two on campsites, a proper forest walk without gates or entry fees feels like a genuine win.

Go early if you can. Mid-morning gives you decent light through the trees and fewer people mucking about. The forest isn't a destination in itself - you won't write home about it - but as part of a Carmarthenshire holiday loop, mixing woodland rambles with the valley's market towns and quieter attractions, it works well enough. Real, unpolished Welsh countryside without the tourist crowds.