Bingham's Holt

A proper woodland walk through mature trees and open glades, Bingham's Holt sits just outside Newark and delivers exactly what you'd want from a Lincolnshire forest - space, quiet, and the kind of light filtering through ancient oaks that makes you forget the A roads are anywhere near. The woodland floor is thick with leaf litter, paths wind between coppiced sections, and you'll spot the occasional clearing where local walkers clearly stop to catch their breath.

It's ideal for anyone after a solid hour's ramble without needing a map or worrying about getting lost - the routes are well-used and straightforward. Families with older kids will get more from it than those with toddlers; there's no playground infrastructure, no visitor centre, just woodland as it should be. Take boots though. After rain the ground gets squelchy in places, and the paths aren't maintained to tourist-attraction standard.

Free to access, and you can leave the car at the edge and be into the trees within five minutes. On a weekday morning you might not see another soul, which is rather the point. Worth combining with a stay at Four Seasons Country Park or the glamping setup at Spire View Meadow if you're basing yourself in the area - both are close enough that you could do this walk, head back for lunch, then explore Newark itself. Don't expect facilities; bring your own water. Best visited October through April when the woodland is properly open and you're not fighting through bracken.