Florence Park

Walking into Florence Park on the edge of Oxford feels like stepping into someone's back garden - in the best possible way. It's a proper nature reserve, the sort of place where locals actually spend time rather than tourists ticking boxes. You get woodland paths threading through mature trees, open grassland where you can actually breathe, and enough variety to keep you moving for a couple of hours without feeling like you've walked the same route twice.

The wildlife is what you're here for, really. Depending on the season, you'll spot birds you'd normally need binoculars to find - woodpeckers, nuthatches, various warblers if you're lucky. There's a small pool area that pulls in dragonflies and damselflies in summer. Families with younger children won't struggle - the paths are manageable and there's something to look for at every turn. Older kids might find it a bit slow unless they're genuinely interested in spotting things.

It's free to wander around, which is brilliant for filling a morning without spending money. Allow 90 minutes to two hours if you're actually paying attention to what's about rather than just marching through. Best visited in spring when the birdsong is mental, though summer brings the insects and autumn the colours.

If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Cedar Hollow is closest, barely two miles away - this makes for an excellent leg-stretcher that won't eat into your whole day. The woods are genuinely peaceful, even when the city's right on your doorstep.