Branksome Chine Gardens

You won't find crowds or admission charges at Branksome Chine Gardens - it's a proper nature reserve tucked into the cliffs between Poole and Bournemouth where the main event is the woodland itself. The chine (that's the steep ravine carved by a stream) runs down to the beach, and the whole thing feels genuinely wild despite being in a built-up area. Moss-covered trees, ferns everywhere, and in spring the bluebells are something else.

It's brilliant for anyone who actually wants to walk somewhere rather than tick a box. Families with primary-aged kids will manage the paths fine on a dry day, but it gets muddy and the steps down to the beach are proper steep - not ideal with pushchairs or reluctant teenagers. History types will appreciate that this is one of the last stretches of natural coastline in this part of Dorset, and botanists could spend hours identifying what's growing on the slopes.

Allow an hour minimum if you're just doing the main paths, longer if you're heading down to the beach itself. Go when it's been dry for a few days or you'll be sliding about. It's free, which is just as well because there's nowhere to grab a cup of tea nearby.

If you're staying at Ulwell Holiday Park six miles away, this makes for a proper morning out without feeling like you're doing the tourist treadmill. The woodland and chine walking are what Dorset does best - the real stuff, not the postcard version.