Briaryley

Dense woodland blankets the hillsides above Church Stretton, and Briaryley sits right in the thick of it. This working forest feels properly wild - not the manicured paths and information boards you'll find elsewhere, but proper scrambling territory where you might lose the track completely.

Families with young children should probably give this one a miss. The terrain can be rough going, with fallen logs and brambles living up to the forest's name. But for teenagers who fancy themselves as explorers and adults who remember what it's like to properly get lost in the woods, it's brilliant.

You're looking at a good two hours minimum if you want to explore properly, though you could easily spend half a day here if the weather holds. The canopy is thick enough to provide decent shelter when the Shropshire rain sets in, which it will.

Location-wise, you're perfectly placed for the Shropshire Hills. Small Batch Camp Site is practically on your doorstep, while Mountain Edge offers more comfortable pods if you prefer a proper bed after a day of forest bashing. The proximity to Church Stretton means you can combine this with the Long Mynd walks, though honestly, after wrestling with Briaryley's undergrowth, those well-trodden hill paths will feel like motorways.