Coed Crafnant North Wales Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

Walk into Coed Crafnant and you're immediately swallowed by proper Welsh woodland - oak and birch mostly, dripping with life. The North Wales Wildlife Trust manages this reserve near Llanbedr, and it's the sort of place where you'll actually spot things rather than just trudge through trees hoping something turns up. Pied flycatchers, wood warblers, red squirrels if you're lucky. The trails wind through steep-sided valleys with streams running off the mountainside, which sounds dramatic but genuinely is.

It's best for walkers and birdwatchers rather than casual strollers. Allow two to three hours if you want to do it properly - the terrain's not brutal but it's undulating and muddy most of the year. Free to access, which is always welcome. Spring and early summer are prime time when the birds are vocal and the woodland floor's alive with bluebells and wild garlic.

For a caravan holiday in the area, this slots in perfectly with the nearby sites like Shell Island or Woodlands - you're close enough to pop in for a morning walk without travelling far, but far enough from the coast to feel like proper countryside. The Rhaeadr Nantcol Waterfalls are barely a mile away too, so you could string together a decent day of it. It's not flashy or Instagram-friendly, but if you actually like being in nature rather than being seen in nature, it's exactly right.