Drake Lane Wood

The woodland walk through Drake Lane Wood, just outside Maidstone, is the sort of place you'd stumble upon by accident and be genuinely glad you did. It's proper ancient forest - the kind where the canopy gets so thick in summer that you could almost believe the rain might never reach you. The paths are well-maintained but quiet, which is rare enough around Kent these days.

You're looking at a solid hour's walk if you take your time, maybe ninety minutes if you potter about photographing fungi or sitting on one of the benches that appear seemingly at random through the trees. Dog walkers love it, and it's exactly the sort of place kids enjoy without realising they're getting proper exercise. No dramatic views or Instagram moments, but genuinely restorative if you've had your fill of manicured gardens.

The wood works brilliantly as a morning outing from any of the nearby holiday parks - Chegworth Mill Glamping is barely two miles away, which makes it ideal for a pre-breakfast walk, or you could do it on your way back from Maidstone town centre in the afternoon. Bearsted Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite and Oak View Holiday Park are similarly close enough that you won't waste petrol getting there.

Free to access, no charges that I could find. Go when it's not raining sideways if you can - the paths do get boggy in winter. It's not spectacular, but it's honest woodland and worth the detour from your caravan.