Dunning Shaw

Dunning Shaw is a proper woodland walk just outside Canterbury, the sort of place locals know about but most visitors miss entirely. It's not a manicured country estate or a tourist trap - just a genuine forest with decent paths threading through beech and oak, good for blowing the cobwebs out after a couple of days poking round the cathedral.

The walking here is straightforward enough. You get decent woodland atmosphere without needing to navigate by compass, and the paths are well-trodden rather than boggy. It's the kind of spot where you'll see dog walkers and families letting kids run about, which tells you it's accessible but not overcrowded. Allow an hour or so for a proper mooch around, longer if you fancy sitting on a log and actually noticing the forest rather than just marching through it.

Who'll get the most from it? Walkers after a break from Canterbury's crowds, definitely. Families wanting to tire out kids without a structured day out. It's too straightforward to be thrilling for hardcore hikers, but that's rather the point. If you're glamping at Mount Ephraim or Brook Farm, both within three miles, this makes a brilliant morning before breakfast or a late afternoon potter. It won't eat your day, which is exactly what you want when you've got other plans.

The main thing is going in with realistic expectations. This is a local woodland, not a dramatic gorge or a famous beauty spot. But sometimes that's precisely what a holiday needs.