The Jackets

Walking through The Jackets feels like stepping into a proper old-growth forest that time forgot. This woodland sits just outside Ross-on-Wye and offers something the region's more famous attractions don't - genuine peace and the kind of dense canopy that makes you forget the caravan parks are only a few miles away.

It's woodland in the truest sense: ancient trees, dappled light, and paths that reward a bit of exploration. There's no visitor centre or facilities here, which is either brilliant or a drawback depending on your temperament. Forest types, serious walkers, and anyone who wants an hour or two without hearing other people will get genuine value from it. Children who can occupy themselves in nature rather than demanding constant entertainment will do fine; those needing play equipment and ice cream vans won't.

The access is straightforward enough from Ross-on-Wye. Bring proper shoes - it gets muddy - and go early if you're keen to avoid whoever else knows about the place. There's no entry fee that I'm aware of, though you should check locally as these things change.

If you're based at Doward Park or Trippenkennett Farm, The Jackets works as a morning walk before doing something else in the Wye Valley. It's not a day's attraction on its own, but it's absolutely worth the short detour and makes a proper change from the more formal forest parks dotted around Gloucestershire. Real woodland, really quiet.