Boon Hills Wood

A proper woodland walk rather than a manicured attraction, Boon Hills Wood sits just outside Mansfield and delivers exactly what you'd hope for - ancient trees, quiet paths, and the sort of peace you won't find on the high street. It's the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think, which counts for something these days.

The wood itself isn't vast, so you're looking at a couple of hours maximum for a thorough explore. Families with younger children will manage fine on the main paths, though it's muddy after rain - proper country mud, the sort that sticks to everything. If you've got walkers in the group who enjoy spotting woodland birds or just wandering without a strict agenda, they'll get more mileage from it. Locals use it regularly, which suggests it's genuinely worth the detour and not just tourist fluff.

This works particularly well if you're staying at Sherwood Forest Holiday Park nearby - it's only 4.6 miles away, making it an easy morning or afternoon slot without having to load everyone back in the car for hours. Clumber Park Lodges, just 5.7 miles off, offers another solid base if you're planning several days in the area. The National Trust's Clumber Park itself is only 6.5 miles away, so you could comfortably string together a few woodland spots across the region.

Free to visit, no facilities to speak of, and refreshingly low-key. If you want manicured gardens and information boards, look elsewhere. If you want actual woodland without the National Trust price tag, this is it.