Den Grove Wood

A proper woodland walk within striking distance of Canterbury, Den Grove Wood offers the kind of dense green cover that makes you forget the town exists at all. The trees here are thick enough that even on a bright day, you're walking in soft dappled light - beech and oak mostly, with a floor that turns boggy after rain but drains reasonably well come summer.

It's the sort of place walkers actually want to be, rather than somewhere you tick off a list. The paths wind through without feeling overly manicured, which means there's real woodland atmosphere rather than that managed-park feeling. You'll spot the usual Kent woodland suspects - bluebells in spring if you time it right, ferns unfurling, the odd flash of a pheasant bolting through the undergrowth.

Family groups with primary-aged kids will get a couple of hours out of it without complaint. Teenagers? Less enthusiastic unless they're the outdoorsy sort. It's genuinely free - no entrance fee, no visitor centre trying to flog you a coffee - which makes it a solid addition to a stay at one of the nearby parks like Canterbury Lodges or Nethergong Camping, both just a few miles away.

Allow ninety minutes to two hours if you're going to do it properly rather than just rushing through. Early morning, when there's barely anyone about and the birds are making a racket, is when it really sings. Bring decent boots in winter - the woodland floor can be treacherous after a wet spell.