Kingsmore Wood

The woodland around Kingsmore, just outside Chippenham, is proper walking country - ancient deciduous forest with a genuine sense of being away from it all despite being barely five miles from town. There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, which is either a bonus or a drawback depending on your mood. You get what you came for: trees, paths, and quiet.

It's the sort of place that works best for adults who actually want a walk rather than an outing. Children might manage an hour or so if they're the exploring type, but there's nothing to hold their attention once the novelty of being in the woods wears off. Walkers will find decent paths threading through, though it's not a destination hike - more a local spot to stretch your legs when you're based nearby.

Free to access, as far as we can tell, and you can turn up whenever suits you. The best approach is to treat it as part of a broader morning ramble rather than a standalone attraction. If you're staying at Marsh Farm Caravan Site or any of the other bases around Chippenham, it's close enough for a pre-breakfast wander or an afternoon sortie when the weather's decent.

Worth a visit if you're in the area and fancy some woodland air without the crowds of more famous forests. Don't make it your main event, but don't skip it either if you've got time to kill.