Bull Piece Plantation

Head inland from Scarborough and you'll find Bull Piece Plantation - a proper working forest that feels worlds away from the seaside crowds. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, with a decent network of woodland paths threading through mature trees and younger plantations. The ground underfoot ranges from needle-soft to muddy depending on recent weather, so decent boots make sense.

This is genuinely good walking territory if you've got the legs for it. The forest itself isn't ancient - you can tell from the uniform planting in sections - but it's matured nicely over the decades, and there's something satisfying about walking under a proper canopy rather than trudging coastal promenades. Dog walkers seem to be a large part of the crowd here, and honestly, it's ideal for that.

Walking families will get an hour or two out of it without struggle, though younger kids might find it a bit samey after the first thirty minutes. The real appeal is as a training ground if you're building fitness, or as a break from caravan routine if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Cayton Village or Parkdean Resorts at Cayton Bay are both within four miles and offer a proper change of pace. It's free and unrestricted, which is refreshing. Go early morning in summer if you want to avoid other walkers, or after rain when the forest smells proper earthy. No facilities that I could find, so bring water.