Corby Woods

The woodland around Corby, just outside Carlisle, is proper walking territory. Ancient mixed forest with decent paths that don't demand fell-walker credentials - though you will need decent boots if it's been wet. The trees here are thick enough that you can lose the outside world completely, which is exactly the point.

It's the kind of place where walkers spend two to three hours without checking their watch. The canopy is thick in summer, offering proper shelter on grey Cumbrian days. You'll spot the usual woodland birds and, if you're lucky, the occasional roe deer melting back into the trees when they clock you. There's something about old mixed woodland that beats purpose-built attractions hands down.

Families with kids aged eight upwards will get something from it. Younger children might find it a bit samey after forty minutes - it's not a destination walk with a dramatic payoff, just steady woodland. Solo walkers and couples will rate it far higher. You can access it freely, which is the only way it should be.

If you're camping at Englethwaite Hall or Eden Valley Glamping nearby, this is exactly the sort of morning walk that justifies being in Cumbria. It's five minutes from your site, costs nothing, and there's no queue. That's worth something. Skip the visitor attractions and just walk. The woods don't need marketing.