Cherrygarden Wood

Walk into Cherrygarden Wood and you're immediately surrounded by proper old-growth woodland - the kind where the canopy gets so thick you lose the sky. It's a few miles outside Robertsbridge in East Sussex, and honestly, it punches above its weight for a quick forest jaunt. The paths wind through beech and oak, with decent signposting most of the way, though it pays to wear decent boots if you've had rain. Allow an hour to ninety minutes to loop around without rushing. Kids will get a kick out of spotting wildlife, and it's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think - no ice cream vans, no background noise.

It's free to wander, which is the main draw really. Some woodland this close to a proper town centre would charge you a fiver just to park. The forest floor is soft underfoot and there's enough variation in the walk to keep it interesting, whether you're tracking the stream that runs through or looking for birds. Peak visiting is spring when the undergrowth comes alive, though autumn gives you decent colour without the muddy chaos.

If you're based at Wood View Farm Glamping down the road - and that spot is genuinely good for families - Cherrygarden Wood makes a solid morning before you head back for a late lunch. It's not a full-day destination, but paired with other walks in the area, it rounds out a proper woodland weekend. Worth the detour if you're already in the region.