The Gorse

The Gorse is a proper slice of Shropshire woodland that takes you away from the manicured bits you find closer to Market Drayton. It's a forest walk rather than a destination with facilities - think dark pines, a carpet of needles underfoot, and the kind of quiet that actually feels restorative instead of eerie.

You're walking through managed woodland here, which means it's less wild than it might look. The paths are reasonably well-kept, though they can get muddy after rain. Allow a couple of hours if you're dawdling; half that if you just want to blow through it. There's something satisfying about forests where you can hear yourself think - no gift shop at the end, no car park attendant giving you a look.

It's brilliant for walkers and anyone needing to burn off restless energy, but families with very small children might find it a bit samey after a while. Once you've seen one section of pine trees, you've sort of seen them all. That said, forest schools and older kids who actually enjoy getting their boots muddy will have a grand time.

If you're staying at Westcott Woods Glamping just down the road, The Gorse makes an excellent morning walk before heading somewhere with a bit more going on. It's free, naturally - just turn up. Best in autumn when the light gets lower and the whole thing looks less like forestry and more like something you'd want to write about.