Pucketts Wood

The woodland around Pucketts Wood is a proper tangle of oak and beech that feels properly removed from the busy bits of Somerset. You're looking at a decent walk through mature forest just outside Bridport, where the ground stays soft underfoot and the canopy does a decent job of keeping the drizzle off. Most folk spend between an hour and ninety minutes here, which gives you time to get properly lost without actually worrying about getting lost.

It's the kind of place that rewards a slow pace. The light filters through in that particular way that makes you forget about your phone for a bit, and if you're after mushrooms or just the smell of damp earth in autumn, you'll find plenty of both. Families with younger kids might find the paths a touch muddy and unmarked in places, so proper boots aren't optional. Older walkers and anyone after a spot of woodland peace will get far more out of it than you'd expect.

There's no visitor centre or cafe, so bring your own kit. The forest is free to access, though parking details are thin on the ground - best to ring ahead or check locally in Bridport before you head out. If you're staying at Esme's Escape, the glamping site just six miles away, this is exactly the sort of quiet morning walk that makes a pastoral break feel properly restorative. Go early, go slow, and don't expect facilities.