Aske Park

Aske Park sits just outside Richmond in North Yorkshire, a proper slice of working countryside that doesn't put on airs. It's a nature reserve where you actually see farming happen alongside the wildlife - cattle grazing, hedgerows doing what they're supposed to do, the whole thing functioning like it has for centuries rather than being mown into submission for visitors.

You can walk the boundaries and wander through decent stretches of open ground. In spring the birdsong is relentless, which is exactly the point. There's no cafe, no visitor centre, no gift shop trying to sell you a mug with a badger on it. Bring binoculars if you're keen on spotting things; bring wellies if you've had rain.

Historia types and walkers will find more to grip them here than casual strollers will. If your kids expect adventure playgrounds and ice cream vans, they'll be bored within twenty minutes. But if you've got keen naturalists in tow or you're the sort who enjoys a quiet morning watching what actually lives in the Yorkshire landscape, it's worth the drive from Richmond.

The reserve pairs well with a base at Hewn Yorkshire - just under five miles away - since neither requires lengthy planning. You can fit Aske in around other park activities without it dominating your day. Spring and early summer are best; winter's fine if you don't mind the cold.