Black Covert

Walk into Black Covert and the noise of the road disappears almost immediately. It's a proper woodland - dense enough that you lose sight of the wider landscape, which sounds counterintuitive but works brilliantly if you want to escape the Cotswolds tourist crush without going very far.

The forest sits just outside Stroud, making it ideal for a quick leg-stretcher between other activities or a proper ramble if you've got the afternoon free. The trees are mixed woodland, mostly beech and oak, and there's enough of a canopy to keep things cool even on warmer days. Paths wind through fairly naturally - nothing manicured or corporate about it.

This is walker territory, really. The terrain's gentle enough that families with older children won't struggle, but there's not much here to hold the attention of under-eights for long. History buffs won't find monuments or interpretive boards - you're here for the actual woodland, the quiet, the dappled light. That's the point.

It's free to wander, and there's no real gatekeeping, though parking is the usual Gloucestershire tight-spot scenario. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for a decent walk. Spring's when the bluebells come through, which makes the journey worthwhile.

If you're staying at Cirencester Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite nearby, Black Covert works as a proper alternative to the manicured estate - somewhere to remember what unmanaged woodland actually feels like.