Thorny Coppice

Dense woodland just outside Kenilworth, Thorny Coppice is the sort of place locals know but visitors often miss. It's proper forest - ancient trees, muddy paths in winter, that particular smell of leaf mulch and damp bark that takes you straight back to childhood. You won't find a visitor centre or manicured trails here; this is genuine woodland as it's been for centuries.

Walkers get the most from it. The paths wind through mixed broadleaf forest and you can easily spend an hour or two exploring without seeing another soul, depending on the season. The undergrowth changes dramatically between summer - thick and impenetrable - and winter, when the trees open up and you can see deeper into the wood. There's something quite grounding about that, just moving quietly through the trees without a destination in mind.

It's free to access and there's no formal opening hours to worry about, making it ideal for an early morning walk before breakfast. Allow at least an hour, longer if you're someone who enjoys sitting on logs and watching birds. Kids under eight might find it a bit samey, but older children who like adventure and aren't bothered by mud will be in their element.

Stay at Mousley House Farm just 2.4 miles away and you've got a proper base for exploring this corner of Warwickshire. It's close enough for a quick woodland escape but far enough from Kenilworth's busier attractions to feel like proper countryside.