Scarr Wood

Walk into Scarr Wood and you're straight into proper Gloucestershire woodland - the sort of place where the canopy gets thick enough to darken the sky even on a bright day. It's a genuine forest rather than a manicured country estate, which means gnarled oaks, dense undergrowth, and paths that feel like they actually lead somewhere rather than loop back to a gift shop.

This is walkers' territory. The woodland itself is free to explore, and there's enough cover and variety to hold your attention for a couple of hours without feeling like you've trudged the same route twice. Families with kids will find it engaging enough - there's the minor thrill of proper forest exploration without being so vast that little legs get demoralised. History enthusiasts might dig deeper into the woodland's past, though you'll want to research that beforehand as interpretation on the ground is minimal.

Based just outside Gloucester, it works well if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan sites like Apple Orchard or West End Farm - both within a few miles. It's the sort of stop that breaks up a park-based holiday nicely, especially if the weather's decent. Allow two to three hours if you're actually walking properly rather than just poking about for twenty minutes.

Bring decent shoes. The woodland floor gets boggy in patches, and there's no obvious maintenance schedule. It's free access as far as I can tell, which is refreshing - no car park fees, no admission gates, just forest.