Cwm Gilla Wood

The woodland floor at Cwm Gilla is thick with moss and leaf litter - proper spongy underfoot even weeks after rain. This modest forest near Knighton rewards walkers who want something gentle rather than dramatic, with paths that wind through mixed woodland without punishing climbs or scrambles.

You're looking at native broadleaves mostly - oak, ash, and beech - creating that soft green half-light you get in Welsh valleys. There's water running through here too, so expect the sound of the stream to accompany most of your walk. It's the kind of place where you notice things: moss-covered stones, ferns unfurling, maybe a red kite if you're lucky and keep your eyes up.

The woodland suits families with primary-school kids and anyone after a straightforward woodland stroll without the competitive Instagramming. Allow two hours if you're not rushing. It's free to access and typically quiet outside school holidays, which is the main appeal really - solitude rather than spectacle.

Based just three miles from Black Hall Lodges or Rockbridge Park, both highly rated holiday bases, Cwm Gilla fits well into a Powys walking itinerary. Pair it with Knighton's riverside walks or venture further into the Radnor Valley. It won't set your heart racing, but that's rather the point. Sometimes a forest is just a forest - and that's enough.