One of the best proper woods in this part of Wiltshire, but it earns its quiet reputation the hard way — there's nowhere obvious to park, so most visitors are locals, dog-walkers from Colerne and the odd horse-rider rather than day-trippers. Worth the effort if you don't mind a bit of a walk in from the village, less so if you're after a drive-up-and-stroll spot.
A big, steep-sided block of ancient woodland dropping into the By Brook valley north-east of Colerne — 47 hectares of it, and an SSSI in its own right. Colerne Park sits on the higher ground, Monks Wood below it nearer the stream, and together they hold scarce plants like Solomon's seal and star of Bethlehem among the more usual bluebells and wild garlic.
Woodland Trust wood — free to visit on foot, open every day.