Gorse Plantation

The gorse scrub at Gorse Plantation comes as a bit of a surprise if you're expecting towering conifers. Instead, you get low golden-yellow flowering shrub - proper brilliant in spring when it's absolutely ablaze. It's a modest spot just outside Hereford, the kind of place walkers stumble upon rather than plan for, which is rather the point.

The woodland here is working land, managed for conservation, and the understory means you can actually see what you're doing rather than squelching through murk. There are paths winding through, though nothing signposted or manicured. Bring a map or rely on your phone. It's free to access, and you could comfortably spend an hour here poking about, spotting birds and wildlife among the gorse and scattered trees. Come spring for the flowers; autumn's pleasant too but less showy.

For families, it works best with children old enough to enjoy a genuine ramble without needing facilities or entertainment. History buffs won't find much except the fact that gorse plantations were deliberately cultivated for fuel and bedding - there's something satisfying about that. If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby parks like Heart of the Wye Glamping or Presteigne Holiday Park, this makes a straightforward morning walk without the tourist crowds you'd find elsewhere. Don't expect a destination day out. Expect a proper bit of Powys countryside that feels genuinely unvisited.