Forest bathing at Kingley Vale

Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve, north of Chichester, holds one of the finest yew forests in western Europe. In the grove at the foot of the valley the veteran yews are more than 500 years old, with twisted, hollow trunks and dense, dark canopies that keep the light low all year. Above them the valley sides open onto chalk grassland, and the hilltop carries Bronze Age barrows known as the Devil's Humps. Natural England manages the reserve.

Most people walk in from the small West Stoke car park to the south, which is busy at weekends and in school holidays; the Forestry England car park at Stoughton to the north is quieter. The ancient grove is the place to slow down. Some paths are steep and uneven. Livestock graze all year, dogs must be on leads, and there are ticks, so wear long trousers.