Parsonage Copse

Parsonage Copse is a proper little woodland tucked just outside Taunton, the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. It's a working forest with mixed deciduous trees - oak, ash, beech - that's open to the public for walking, and it's the genuine article rather than a manicured nature reserve. You get real woodland floors thick with leaf litter, dappled light through the canopy, and genuine quiet.

The main appeal is straightforward: a decent walk through trees without the tourist infrastructure. There are paths running through, though they're not always obvious and can get muddy after rain. A circular route takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on your pace and how often you stop. It's ideal if you've got restless legs during a caravan holiday at one of the nearby sites like Holly Bush or Ashe Farm - both within easy striking distance - and need to burn off some energy without driving far.

Families with younger kids might find it a bit underwhelming if they're after a destination rather than a means to an end. There aren't playground facilities or visitor amenities, so come prepared with water and snacks. Walkers and anyone after a genuine bit of woodland peace, though, will appreciate it. The Somerset Levels are dead flat and relentlessly open in places, so this copse actually offers something different - vertical space, shelter, a sense of enclosure.

It's free, as far as I can tell. Go early in the day if you want solitude, especially at weekends.