Coombefield Plantation

Coombefield Plantation is a proper working forest tucked away near Broadway in Worcestershire - the kind of place where you can actually lose yourself for a couple of hours without bumping into the usual tourist crowds. It's mixed woodland, mostly managed for timber, so you're walking through a genuine working landscape rather than a manicured park. The paths wind through stands of conifers and broadleaf trees, and if you time it right - early autumn or spring - the light filtering through the canopy is genuinely lovely.

This one's best suited to walkers who don't need a destination at the end of it. There's no visitor centre, no café, no "attractions" in the modern sense. Just trees, paths, and the occasional sound of actual forestry work happening. Children tend to get the most from it if they're the type who like building dens and scrambling about rather than following a guided route.

Access appears to be free, though you'll want to check locally in Broadway before setting out - information can be thin on the ground. Allow a couple of hours for a proper wander. It's absolutely worth the short drive from Broadway if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Leedons or Cotswold Woodland Glamping. The forest works well as a morning walk before heading into the Cotswolds for lunch or afternoon sightseeing. If the weather's decent and you want to escape the honeypot villages nearby, it's well worth the effort.