Llanddu Covert

Walking into Llanddu Covert is like stepping into proper forest - dense, quiet, the kind of place where you actually notice birdsong. It's a woodland area near Llanymynech in Powys, Mid Wales, and it's the sort of spot you'd stumble upon if you were exploring the quieter corners of the region rather than chasing the obvious attractions.

What you get here is straightforward: trees, paths, and space to breathe. There's no visitor centre or café, no entrance fee nonsense. You just turn up and walk. The woodland itself is decent for a gentle ramble - nothing dramatic or Instagram-worthy, but honest and restorative. The light filters through the canopy in that way that makes you feel less frazzled than when you arrived.

This works best for people who actually like forests rather than those treating them as a tick-box activity. If your kids need a playground and WiFi, they'll be bored in twenty minutes. If they're the sort who'll spend an hour turning over logs and looking for insects, they'll find plenty to occupy themselves. Dog walkers, too - plenty of sniffing to be done.

If you're staying at Tanat Holiday Park just down the road, or at Grantley Court or Big Bear Lodge, Llanddu Covert makes a solid half-day addition to your itinerary. It's not the sort of place you plan a trip around, but it's exactly what you need when you want to get away from the caravan for a bit of woodland air. Allow an hour or so, bring decent shoes if it's been wet, and expect absolutely nothing except trees.