Chamberlain's Wood

Chamberlain's Wood is a proper Essex woodland that sits just east of Royston, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think. It's woodland in the traditional sense - oak and beech mostly, with a decent network of paths that wind through without being over-managed or branded to death.

You're looking at a solid two-hour walk if you want to do it justice, though you can knock that down to 45 minutes if you're just after some fresh air and a bit of green cover. The ground can be boggy after rain, which is annoying if you're wearing decent trainers, but it means the woodland feels properly alive. Families with older kids will get more from it than those with toddlers - there's nothing particularly constructed or safe-guarded here, which is either the appeal or the problem depending on your view.

It's free to access, which matters. Too many woods these days have been fenced off or monetised. This one hasn't, and that's worth something.

If you're staying at Pightle Farm Campsite nearby, this makes an easy morning or afternoon excursion without having to drive far. It won't blow your mind - it's not a showstopper like some of the managed nature reserves you find elsewhere in Essex - but it's genuine woodland walking without the visitor centre and the car park charges. Real woods aren't always Instagram material. Sometimes they're just good for clearing your head.