Coed Devonald

The woodland around Coed Devonald is proper dense - the kind of place where you actually lose the sky under a thick canopy of oak and beech. It sits just outside Newport in Pembrokeshire, and frankly, it's the sort of walk locals do rather than tourists, which makes it all the better.

You'll find a network of trails threading through the trees, some of them muddy even when it hasn't rained. The forest floor is thick with moss and ferns, and in spring the bluebells practically glow. It's not dramatic - no waterfalls or dramatic vistas - but it's genuinely peaceful in a way that takes the edge off a week of driving around Pembrokeshire's honeypot beaches.

This is a walker's spot, really. Families with young kids might find an hour or so here satisfying before they're ready to move on. If you're the type who actually enjoys being in woodland rather than just photographing it, you could easily spend a couple of hours. The paths are manageable but uneven in places, so decent boots make sense.

It works nicely as a morning walk if you're staying at Llwyngwair Manor Holiday Park - close enough that you're not burning petrol, far enough that it feels like an actual outing rather than a garden stroll. Access appears to be free, though there's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of. Go when it's not raining if you can, otherwise you'll be squelching.