Allesley Park

The old Allesley estate just west of Coventry has morphed into something genuinely worth seeking out if you're camping nearby. It's a proper nature reserve now - 72 acres of woodland, grassland and ponds that feel genuinely removed from the city sprawl, despite being barely two miles from Hollyfast Caravan Park.

Walking trails wind through here and the place has that peaceful, underdeveloped quality that makes you wonder why more people don't know about it. The woodland is dense enough to give real shelter, and the ponds attract waterfowl in decent numbers. Spring is particularly good if you're into wildflowers and bird spotting.

It's the kind of place that rewards a proper explore rather than a quick loop. Allow a couple of hours if you want to do the reserve justice. The trails are straightforward enough for families with children, though it can get muddy after rain - proper Warwickshire clay underfoot.

Historically minded types might find the remnants of the old Allesley estate interesting, though there's not much interpretive signage about what stood where. For walkers using Hollyfast or the other caravan parks in the area, this beats driving into Coventry centre. It's free to access and there's reasonable parking at the entrance.

Not a day-long attraction by itself, but pair it with a walk along the Coventry Canal nearby and you've got a solid morning sorted. The undergrowth can be thick in summer, so autumn and winter give better sightlines through the woodland.