Forest bathing at Credenhill Park Wood

Credenhill Park Wood covers about 90 hectares of a steep, rounded hill north-west of Hereford, owned by the Woodland Trust since 2003. It is a mix of ancient semi-natural woodland, wet woodland and some conifer plantation, with ash, small-leaved lime, alder and wild cherry among the trees. The hilltop is an Iron Age hillfort, later used by the Roman army and then as a medieval deer park, so there is a sense of long human history under the trees.

Start from the small car park at the main entrance on the Credenhill to Tillington road. The lower contour paths are surfaced and the main entrance path suits pushchairs; beyond that the routes climb, with steps and handrails at the steepest and often wet points. All three waymarked walks are strenuous, between about two and a half and four kilometres. In spring the broadleaved areas have bluebells, wild garlic and early purple orchids. There are no toilets on site.