Cale Park

The walk through Cale Park takes you into proper Somerset countryside, where the River Cale winds through open meadows and woodland that actually feels removed from the world. It's a nature reserve rather than a manicured attraction, which means no gift shop, no café, and wonderfully - no crowds.

What you get is a few miles of footpaths threading between areas of wet grassland and riverside scrub. Birdwatchers take this seriously - kingfishers, snipe, and various warblers turn up depending on season. If you're walking with children, they'll manage the flat sections easily enough, though parts can get boggy after rain, so proper footwear matters.

Allocation a couple of hours maximum. You're not looking at an all-day undertaking, but it's the kind of place where sitting on a bank watching water and trees does something restorative that ten times the flashier attractions can't touch.

Wincanton sits just over a mile away, handy for grabbing supplies before or after. If you're based at Sunnyhill Campsite nearby - genuinely well-rated, that one - Cale Park fits perfectly as a morning walk before heading elsewhere. Hadspen Glamping, four miles out, gives you more comfort but slightly further to drive. Neither location means you're tethered to the park, which is the point of staying in Somerset.

Go early if you want any chance of spotting the wildlife. Midday sun drives everything into cover.