Oyle's Wood

Walking into Oyle's Wood near Holford feels like stepping back in time. The woodland itself is proper dense - towering trees, mossy ground, the whole lot - and it's the sort of place where you genuinely lose track of how long you've been wandering. There's no visitor centre or marked trails that I could find, just woodland as it should be: quiet, a bit wild, and all yours to explore.

It's brilliant for anyone who actually likes walking rather than gawping at viewpoints. Families with older kids will get more from it than those with toddlers - the ground's uneven, roots everywhere, and you need to know roughly where you're heading. History buffs might find themselves intrigued by the wood's age and what it once meant to the local landscape, though there's not much in the way of signage to tell you about it.

You won't need more than an hour or two unless you're the type to sit on a log and actually listen to the place. Go in autumn if you can stomach the mud, or early summer when the light filters through properly. Winter's bleak but atmospheric.

If you're staying at Haven Doniford Bay or Warren Bay Holiday Village, Oyle's Wood works as a proper escape from the caravan parks without venturing far. It's the kind of place that reminds you forests don't need amenities or Instagram moments to be worth your time.