Ellick's Wood

The woodland here is dense and proper atmospheric - the sort of place where you actually notice the quiet. Ellick's Wood sits outside Stroud and delivers exactly what you want from a Wiltshire forest walk: old oaks, a network of trails that don't require a map, and the kind of stillness that makes you remember why you left the car behind.

It's best suited to walkers and families after a couple of hours of gentle woodland wandering rather than an all-day expedition. The paths are straightforward enough for kids who've got their legs under them, though you'll want proper footwear - it gets muddy. The canopy is thick, so even on warm days it stays cool, which is either brilliant or a bit gloomy depending on the weather.

There's no obvious visitor infrastructure - you just turn up and walk. That's both its charm and its limitation. Allow a couple of hours if you want to properly explore without rushing. Spring is lovely when the woodland floor comes alive; autumn works too if you don't mind the damp.

If you're based at Burton Hill Caravan & Camping Park or the glamping at Whychurch Farm, both within six miles, Ellick's Wood makes a solid morning activity before you head into Stroud proper for lunch. It's the sort of walk that feels like you've discovered something, even though plenty of locals clearly know it well. Not Instagram-famous, just genuinely pleasant.