New Covert

You'll find New Covert sitting quietly between Chippenham and the Cotswold edge - a proper working woodland that feels a world away from Wiltshire's busier spots. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, with mature trees creating decent shade and enough space to lose the crowds entirely.

The woodland itself is straightforward: footpaths wind through mixed forestry, and it's the kind of walk where you might spot wildlife if you're patient and quiet. It's not dramatic or particularly showy - no waterfall moments or Instagram-worthy vistas. But that's rather the point. Families with younger kids will manage it fine if paths are maintained; older walkers will find it peaceful rather than challenging. Allow an hour for a gentle loop, longer if you're the type to stop and listen.

As a forest it sits somewhere between pure rambling and woodland management - you're walking through land that's actively used, not a manicured country park. No admission fee appears to be charged, though you should respect that it's working woodland and stick to designated routes.

Paired with nearby caravan parks like Roe Deer Fields or Burton Hill, New Covert makes a solid woodland interlude during a week in the area. It won't be the highlight of your trip, but it's the sort of place that reminds you why you bothered leaving home. Good for a morning walk before heading somewhere with more obvious attractions, or for breaking up a longer day.