Collett Park

The moment you step into Collett Park, you're in proper Somerset countryside - open grassland, woodland edges, and the kind of quiet that makes you actually notice birdsong. It's a nature reserve just outside Wells, which means it's doing the unglamorous work of protecting habitat while staying refreshingly free of tourist crush.

What you get here is straightforward walking through mixed terrain. There are established paths threading through the park, and depending on which route you take, you'll pass through woodland and out onto more open ground. In spring and summer, it's genuinely worth visiting for the wildflowers and birds - bring binoculars if you're into that sort of thing, though honestly many people just come for a peaceful walk without needing to identify every warbler.

Families with younger children might find an hour enough to do a circuit and tire out the dog. Serious walkers can link it with other routes in the area, and if you're staying at Cathedral View Glamping or Wells Touring Park nearby, it's a convenient option for an afternoon stroll. The reserve doesn't demand much - there's no visitor centre, no cafe, no facilities worth mentioning - which means it stays genuine and underdeveloped.

It's the kind of place that appeals to people who actually like nature reserves rather than those just ticking off attractions. Not dramatic, not rare in the way Exmoor is rare, but reliable and properly peaceful. Admission appears free, and there's no particular pressure to arrive at a set time.