Bolton Hill Park

You'll find Bolton Hill Park sat between Doncaster and Bawtry, a proper working nature reserve rather than a manicured country estate. The reserve spreads across woodland and grassland where you can actually spot something - lapwings, woodpeckers, the occasional roe deer if you're quiet enough. It's the kind of place where you go to walk, not to tick off a visitor centre gift shop.

The footpaths are well-maintained and reasonably flat, so families with younger children won't struggle, though it's really walkers who'll get the most from this spot. Allow a couple of hours if you want to do the main loop without rushing. There's genuine countryside here - you're not fighting crowds or queuing for anything.

What works best is combining it with a stay at Bawtry Caravan Park just down the road. Use Bolton Hill for a morning walk before heading into Bawtry itself for lunch - the village has proper pubs and it's a pleasant spot to potter around. If you're based in the caravan park and want a change from the usual leisure facilities, this gives you an actual outdoors option that feels like it matters.

Bring binoculars if you're remotely interested in birds, and don't expect it to be particularly dramatic. It's honest, quiet countryside that does what it says - no frills, just a decent walk through land where the wildlife comes first.