Ainhouse Plantation

The forest floor here is thick with pine needles and the air smells properly fresh. Ainhouse Plantation sits just outside Holmrook and is the kind of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. It's a commercial forestry block - neat rows of conifers mostly - but that's precisely why it works well for a straightforward woodland walk without the crowds you'd find at proper tourist forests elsewhere in Cumbria.

The main pull is the network of tracks running through the trees. They're flat enough for families with pushchairs and steady enough for anyone wanting a gentle ramble without scrambling over rocks. You'll get decent views out towards the valley if you pick the right paths, and the density of the trees means shelter if Lake District weather turns damp - which it invariably does.

It's not a destination in itself. But if you're camped at Fisherground just down the road, or exploring the quieter side of west Cumbria, an hour here kills time productively. Take the kids for a run around, let them spot the occasional bird, feel like you've done something outdoorsy without the faffing about of proper fell walking. In winter the mud can be grim, so spring or autumn when it's drier underfoot is the way to go.

There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of - no café, no car park signs, nothing fancy. That's either a bonus or a drawback depending on what you want from a forest walk. For a quick break from the campsite, it's handy. As a reason to travel across Cumbria? Not really.