Kingscote Park

The woodland paths at Kingscote Park wind through old beech trees and open onto proper countryside views across the Stroud valleys. It's a working nature reserve rather than a manicured park - which means you'll see more wildlife than manicured lawns, but also fewer benches and facilities to lean on.

The reserve sits above Stroud itself, so it's an easy jump from town if you're staying locally. Walkers will find enough paths to burn an hour or two, depending on how far you fancy ranging. Families with young kids might find it a bit limited - there's no playground or clear loop walk, so older children and proper hikers get more out of it. Bring binoculars if you're serious about birds; the mix of woodland and open grassland attracts decent numbers throughout the year.

It's genuinely free to wander, which is always welcome. Spring and early summer are when it properly comes alive - wildflowers along the rides, nesting birds, the whole thing. Winter's fine too if you don't mind mud and want the woods quieter.

If you're based at Tobacconist Farm Campsite nearby, Kingscote makes for a cracking morning walk before heading back for lunch. It won't fill a day on its own, but as part of a wider Stroud valley wander - mixing it with the town itself and the hills around it - it works well. Not somewhere you'll queue to get into, which is rather the point.