Dukes Brake

You'll find Dukes Brake tucked just outside Cirencester, a proper woodland walk through beech and oak that rewards you with decent views across the Cotswold countryside. It's the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think - no theme park noise, no gift shop queue, just trees and paths that wind through genuinely nice terrain.

The walk itself is straightforward enough. Allow a couple of hours if you're stopping to look about, less if you're just stretching your legs. The forest floor is soft underfoot after rain, which beats tramping through muddy pastures, and there's enough variation in the terrain to keep kids interested without it being exhausting. Older walkers will appreciate that it's close to Cirencester without the town crowds.

If you're staying at Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park just down the road, this is your go-to for an afternoon when the weather's decent. Even if you're based at one of the other parks further out, it's well positioned for breaking up a day. The proximity to Cirencester means you can combine it with lunch in town without the walk feeling like an afterthought.

Best visited midweek during spring or autumn. Summer brings more people and can feel warm under the canopy, while winter can be properly muddy depending on rainfall. It's the sort of place that works as a pleasant addition to a Cotswolds park holiday rather than a destination in itself - solid local walking rather than must-see territory.