Barrow Wood

The woodland floor at Barrow Wood is carpeted with bluebells come spring - proper stunning if you time it right. This forest sits just outside Gloucester and makes for a straightforward afternoon walk if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Millavon or the Tewkesbury Abbey site.

It's the sort of place that rewards a proper wander rather than a quick dash through. You get actual woodland here - tall trees, decent paths, the works. The canopy does its job on drizzly days, which is useful given this corner of Gloucestershire's reputation for dampness. Walking takes anything from forty minutes to two hours depending on which route you fancy and whether you stop to potter about.

Families with younger kids will manage fine on the main paths, though there's enough woodland to explore that teenagers won't immediately grumble about being dragged along. It's the sort of place where you see woodland birds and might catch rabbits if you're quiet enough. Definitely worth bringing binoculars if you're into that sort of thing.

The main thing to know: this feels like proper countryside, not a manicured park. That's either brilliant or a bit muddy depending on your outlook - and after rain, it's definitely muddy. No facilities that we could spot, so sort yourself out in Gloucester first. Free to wander as far as we could tell, making it a proper bargain for park guests wanting to get out between rides and attractions.