Forest bathing in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire's woods fall into two groups. On the Chiltern chalk in the west, the Ashridge Estate near Berkhamsted is five thousand acres of beech and oak with open commons, one of the largest National Trust woodlands. In the east, Broxbourne Woods near Hertford is the county's only National Nature Reserve, ancient sessile oak and hornbeam with Wormley Wood alongside. Nearer the towns, Heartwood Forest at Sandridge is a huge Woodland Trust planting around old Langley Wood, Sherrardspark Wood in Welwyn Garden City is ancient sessile oak, and Whippendell Wood above Cassiobury Park brings beech and oak to the edge of Watford.

Forest bathing here is slow and simple: two or three hours covering very little ground, long pauses under the trees, and tea at the end. Ashridge is on the ridge and catches the wind, while Broxbourne's hornbeam woods are more sheltered. Each guide's profile lists their own dates, venues and prices.

Ashridge is the obvious first visit, with a visitor centre, cafe and surfaced paths at the Bridgewater Monument, and Tring station about a mile and a half away. Broxbourne Woods has free car parks and an easy access sculpture trail.