Gibbet Wood

The name alone stops you in your tracks - Gibbet Wood, near Newark, carries genuine dark history. What you're walking through is ancient woodland where medieval justice played out in brutal fashion, and the trees remember it. Today it's simply a proper forest, dense with mature growth and quiet enough to make you understand why it earned that grim reputation centuries ago.

It's essentially a woodland walk through mixed deciduous trees, the sort of place where shafts of light cut through the canopy and you're genuinely alone. There's no visitor centre or facilities - just the wood itself and the stories it holds. Historians and walkers get the most from it; young children might find it a bit dark and dull unless they're already into nature rambles.

The walk is free and you can do it in an hour, though there's no formal trail that I found - just pick your way through. Go on a clear day when the light's better. It's worth the detour if you're interested in Nottinghamshire's grittier past, less so if you want obvious attractions with facilities.

Stay at Trentfield Farm just four miles away and you've got a solid base for exploring the area. Sundown Adventureland and Wild Acre Village are both nearby if you need more structured activities alongside your woodland wandering. Gibbet Wood sits properly off the tourist circuit - there's something rather honest about that.