Forest bathing at Thorndon Country Park

Thorndon Country Park covers 226 hectares on the edge of Brentwood. It is a patchwork of ancient woodland, historic deer park, newer plantings and small pastures. The deer park past shows in its trees: giant oaks and hornbeam pollards standing in grassland and along the woodland edge. Sessile and pedunculate oak, silver birch and hornbeam make up much of the woodland, and the old trees support a rich beetle population, including one species that is rare in Britain.

The park is in two parts. Thorndon North, off The Avenue, has the woods, ponds and the Nature Discovery Centre, where you will find a café, toilets and maps; Thorndon South is open, hilly parkland better for picnics than for quiet. Most routes in the north are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies, so it is a good choice if you want easy walking. In spring the Mill Wood area has fine displays of woodland flowers. The Gruffalo trail near the centre draws families, so walk further out for stillness.