River Wye

The River Wye curves through the border country between England and Wales, and if you're camping or glamping in Gloucestershire, it's the sort of waterway that rewards a proper exploration rather than a quick glance from the car. It's not a lake in the traditional sense - it's a river that meanders through some genuinely dramatic scenery, with steep wooded banks and limestone cliffs that rise up without warning.

What makes the Wye special is how it changes character depending on where you access it. Near Chepstow, downstream, it widens and slows; upstream towards the Forest of Dean side, it's faster and more intimate. You can walk sections of the Wye Valley Walk, which traces the river for miles, or simply pitch up at one of the nearby parks - Penhein Glamping, Forest and Wye Valley, or Hawthorne Cottage - and make short forays down to the water's edge.

It's brilliant for walkers, particularly anyone wanting riverside trails that don't require scrambling over stiles every hundred metres. Kids will enjoy spotting wildlife - kingfishers if you're lucky, herons most days, otters occasionally. The river itself isn't really for swimming unless you know what you're doing; the current can be deceptive.

Since it's a natural feature rather than a managed attraction, there's no admission charge and no opening hours to fight against. Late spring and early autumn are your best bets - the water's lower, the light's softer, and you won't be dodging school holidays crowds. Allow a full day if you're making a proper walk of it, or just an hour or two if you're staying nearby and fancying a riverside stroll before dinner.