Dowdeswell Woods

The woods roll on for proper miles once you commit to the walking trails here, just a short drive north of Cheltenham. Dowdeswell Woods isn't some manicured estate - it's genuinely wild woodland, the kind where you'll lose signal and lose your sense of time in equal measure. The canopy gets thick enough that you won't see the Cotswold sky for stretches, which is exactly the point.

Walkers will get the most from this. The terrain varies from easy riverside strolls to proper climbs through the trees, so you can pitch it wherever suits. Spring's when it really sings - bluebells absolutely carpet the forest floor and it's almost worth the midges that turn up by summer. You can easily spend two to three hours here without it feeling forced.

If you're camping at Bourton-on-the-Water Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, this sits roughly halfway between there and Cheltenham, making it a convenient morning or afternoon stop. It's free to roam, though you'd want to sort out parking beforehand. The nearby villages like Dowdeswell itself are quiet and unremarkable, but that's rather the appeal - you're not coming here for shops or cafes.

Families with older kids who actually enjoy walking will find it worthwhile. Younger ones might get bored without a specific route marked out, and buggies won't work once you're properly into the trees. It's the kind of place where you arrive without expectations and leave having properly stretched your legs.