Coed y Gopa

The woodland at Coed y Gopa sits just inland from Abergele, a proper working forest rather than a manicured park. You're looking at mixed woodland - oak, ash, the lot - with tracks that wind through decent-sized trees and a genuine sense of being away from things despite being minutes from the coast.

It's the kind of place where you can burn an hour or two if you're into woodland walks without needing to overthink it. The paths aren't signposted to death, which is either brilliant or annoying depending on how you feel about potentially getting a bit lost. Families with older kids will get on fine; little ones might find it a bit samey after a while. There's no visitor centre, no café, no charge as far as I can tell - it's just a wood you can access and walk through.

What works best is treating it as a circuit walk if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks. The Beach, Bron-y-Wendon, or Plas Farm are all within spitting distance, so you've got decent bases for exploring the area. If you're after coastal walks and need to switch things up with some tree cover, Coed y Gopa does the job. It won't take your breath away, but it's free, it's real, and there's something about a Welsh forest that beats a tame country park any day. Good morning walk before breakfast at the caravan, that sort of thing.