Forest bathing at Stoke Park Estate

Stoke Park Estate is a historic park and garden of more than 100 hectares on the slopes below Purdown in north Bristol. It is a mix of species-rich grassland, woodland, scrub and ponds, with new woodland being planted. The yellow Dower House, built in 1563, looks down over it, and there are traces of its wartime history, including the Purdown Percy anti-aircraft battery.

There is no car park, so most people walk in from the Duchess Gate on Park Road in Stapleton or from Lockleaze. Three marked walks, Stoke Park, Barn Wood and Hermitage, take you through the woods and along the slopes, and there is a carved wooden sculpture trail and an all-weather accessible path. The park runs alongside the M32, so expect some traffic noise in places. The nearest public toilets are at Snuff Mills, a short walk from the Duchess entrance.