Chittoe Heath Plantation

The forest floor at Chittoe Heath is soft underfoot - decades of pine needles doing their job. It's a proper working plantation rather than a manicured country estate, which means narrow paths wind through densely planted conifers that block out most of the sky. The canopy is thick enough that even on drizzly Wiltshire days, you stay relatively dry.

This is walkers' territory. The plantation sits just outside Melksham and works brilliantly as a leg-stretcher if you're camped at one of the nearby sites - Devizes Camping and Caravanning Club Site is only 3.3 miles away, or push slightly further to Mill Farm Glamping if you want something with more creature comforts. An hour's walk will get you through the best bits without feeling rushed, though you can easily kill two or three hours if you're keen.

Families with young kids might find it a bit monotonous - there's not much to actually do beyond walking, and the repetitive tree lines lose their appeal quickly for the under-tens. But for anyone who just wants some air and a quiet woodland ramble within spitting distance of their pitch, it delivers. Dog walkers love it too. There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of, so bring water and come prepared for muddy stretches after rain. Free admission, naturally - it's a working forest, not a tourist attraction. Go on a weekday if you can; weekends get surprisingly busy with local hikers.