Brinstone Wood

The woodland around Brinstone, just outside Hereford, is proper countryside - the kind of place where you'll actually hear yourself think. It's not a formal attraction with visitor centres or marked trails, just mature forest that's worth exploring if you're staying at one of the nearby campsites and fancy stretching your legs beyond the pitch.

Walkers will get the most out of this. The trees here are substantial, old even, and the ground underfoot is soft with decades of leaf litter. You can wander without maps if you're confident with directions, though locals would tell you to keep a sense of where you came from - it's easy to lose your bearings under dense canopy. Come autumn and the light filters through in shades of gold. Spring brings bluebells if you time it right.

There's no entrance fee because there's no formal entrance. Just park sensibly near Brinstone and walk in. Allow an hour or two depending on how far you fancy going. It's not a destination in itself - you wouldn't drive from Birmingham for it - but if you're camping at Trippenkennett Farm just a mile away or Burhope Farm three miles down the road, it's a genuine alternative to sitting round the fire all evening.

Kids under eight might find it a bit dull. Older children who enjoy making dens and spotting wildlife will have a better time. The real appeal is the quiet. Hereford's close enough for shops and pubs, but Brinstone Wood feels properly removed from all that.