Coombe Wood

The woodland floor at Coombe Wood near Billericay is thick with leaf litter and the smell of damp earth - proper Essex countryside, this. It's a working forest rather than a manicured nature trail, which means you get the real thing: towering conifers mixed with native broadleaf trees, the kind of place where you can actually lose yourself for an hour without bumping into anyone.

Walkers will find decent ground here, though it's not dramatic terrain - more a place to clear your head than test your fitness. The trees create a canopy that keeps things cool even when it's warm outside, and in autumn the colour is worth the visit alone. Spring brings bluebells if you time it right. Kids can run about safely enough between the trees, though there aren't obvious playground bits or facilities, so manage expectations.

You'll need at least ninety minutes to do justice to it, longer if you're the type to stop and listen. It's free to access as far as most woodland is, though facilities like parking or waymarked trails aren't guaranteed - best to check locally before driving out.

If you're camping at Barleylands Campsite or Thamesview Camping, Coombe Wood works well as a morning outing before heading to busier attractions. It's the sort of place that reminds you why people move to Essex. Not Instagram material, but genuinely restorative.