Holly Wood

Ancient beech trees tower overhead, their silvered trunks creating cathedral-like columns that filter the Herefordshire light into dancing patterns on the forest floor. This is proper old woodland - the kind where you half expect to stumble across a medieval charcoal burner's hut or catch sight of deer ghosting between the trees.

Walkers will love the network of footpaths that wind through Holly Wood, though don't expect waymarked trails or visitor facilities. It's wonderfully wild and uncommercial. The going can be muddy after rain, so decent boots are essential.

Families with older children who enjoy a bit of woodland exploration will find plenty to occupy them for an hour or two. Younger ones might get restless unless they're the sort who enjoy hunting for interesting fungi or spotting bird life. The peace and quiet here is remarkable - just west of Hereford but feeling utterly remote.

Stay at one of the nearby camping spots like Chapel House Farm or Goytree Glamping, and Holly Wood makes for a lovely morning ramble before heading to Hereford's cathedral or the Wye Valley. It's free to roam (as far as anyone knows), accessible year-round, and particularly atmospheric on misty autumn mornings when the leaves crunch underfoot and the air smells of earth and decomposing timber.