Colville's Grove

The trees at Colville's Grove stand like they've been there forever - and frankly, they probably have. This woodland patch near Bury Saint Edmunds offers proper forest walking without the hike-boot commitment you'd need elsewhere in Suffolk. You get dappled light, the smell of damp earth, and if you're lucky, a bit of birdwatching. It's the sort of place where you actually notice things: the moss on one side of the trees, a flash of movement in the undergrowth.

Walkers will appreciate the straightforward terrain. It's not a destination that demands hours of your time - an hour's circuit does the job nicely - but it works brilliantly as a morning walk if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks. Bright Meadow is closest at just over two miles away, making it ideal if you want to pop out before breakfast without faffing about.

The Grove suits families with younger kids better than hardcore hikers. There's space to explore without getting properly lost, which matters when you've got little ones in tow. Bring a stick for poking about in leaf litter; kids will entertain themselves for ages doing that.

Timing-wise, spring is when the place comes alive with birdcalls, though autumn sees the best light filtering through. Winter's too muddy to be fun unless you don't mind mucky boots. Free to access, naturally - it's a wood, not a theme park. Don't expect facilities, but that's rather the point.