Bradgate Park (Newtown Linford Entrance)

The Newtown Linford entrance drops you into one of the Midlands' best stretches of parkland - 354 acres of proper woodland, open grassland and rocky outcrops that feel genuinely wild despite being just four miles from Leicester city centre. You're walking through centuries of landscape here: the ruins of a medieval hunting lodge sit among the trees, and on a clear day the views across to Charnwood Forest will stop you mid-stride.

It's a walkers' park first and foremost. The terrain varies from gentle riverside strolls along the Lyn to steeper climbs up to the rocks, where the views justify every step. Allow two to three hours if you want to do it justice - longer if you're the type to sit on a ridge for twenty minutes just watching the light change. Families with older kids will get on well here; younger ones might struggle with the distance, though there are shorter loops.

Free to enter, as it should be. The park's also home to red and fallow deer - you'll spot them grazing in the early morning or late afternoon if you're lucky. Bradgate Park Caravan Park sits right on the edge, making this an obvious base if you're staying locally. The nearby Charnwood Acres and Proctors Park are both within reasonable striking distance if you want to base yourself further out and drive in for the day.

Come in spring for the bluebells or autumn for the colours. Summer gets busy, which dulls the wildness slightly. Well worth the detour if you're in Leicestershire.