Flakebridge Wood

The footpaths through Flakebridge Wood offer proper woodland walking without the crowds you'd get at more famous Lake District spots. It's genuine beech and mixed forest - the kind of place where you actually hear birdsong instead of other people's conversations.

You're not going to find marked trails or visitor facilities here. This is about putting on decent boots and exploring on foot. In autumn the canopy turns spectacular shades of gold and copper, and spring brings bluebells if you hit it right. Summer can feel a bit gloomy under all that leaf cover, but that's when the forest smells its best.

It works brilliantly if you're based at Wild Rose Holiday Park - that's only a few miles away near Appleby-in-Westmorland, so you could easily slip out for a couple of hours without major planning. Families with young children might find it a bit too "just trees" after the first half hour, but serious walkers and nature photographers will appreciate the quiet. It's free to access, which makes it worth knowing about if you've got a rainy afternoon and want to burn off some cabin fever.

Allows about ninety minutes to two hours depending on how far you wander. Watch out for muddy patches after rain - proper squelchy in places. The nearest town is Appleby-in-Westmorland if you need a café afterwards, though honestly it's the kind of walk where you'll just want to head back to wherever you're staying.