Cherpit Plantation

Walking into Cherpit Plantation near Bakewell feels like stepping into proper woodland - all tall conifers and dappled light filtering through the canopy. It's a working forest rather than some manicured country house grounds, which means it has real character rather than a scrubbed-up feel.

The main draw here is the walking. There are decent tracks running through the trees, nothing too technical but enough to feel like you've actually gone somewhere rather than looped around a car park. The quiet is what gets you - hardly anyone knows about this place compared to, say, walking the edges of the Derbyshire dales just down the road. You're looking at anything from half an hour to a couple of hours depending on how much you want to wander, and it's free, which helps.

Families with reasonably mobile kids will get on fine with the flatter sections. Older walkers after a proper leg-stretching session will appreciate the network of paths. It's not a destination in itself - you won't be stopping for lunch or queuing for anything - but it's ideal if you're based at Beech Croft Farm or Knotlow Farm and want a morning walk before heading into Bakewell for lunch. Timing-wise, spring and autumn are when it's best - less mud underfoot than winter, not too stuffy in summer.

Worth the detour? Only if you're already in the area and fancy escaping the crowds elsewhere. It won't be the highlight of your holiday, but it'll be the walk you actually remember.