Greasy Slack Wood

The woodland around Greasy Slack, just outside Holmfirth, feels like the sort of place locals have known about for decades while most visitors drive straight past. It's a proper forest walk, damp underfoot even when the weather's been dry, with streams running through stands of mature trees that block out most of the sky. The paths are well-trodden but never crowded, which tells you something about how people tend to overlook it in favour of the bigger moor walks nearby.

You're looking at anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours depending on which way you wander - the woodland isn't enormous, but it rewards a slow pace. Families with younger kids will manage it fine; the terrain's muddy rather than steep. Walkers after something a bit different from the typical Pennine moorland will find the change of scenery refreshing, especially on grey days when the trees give some shelter and the whole place feels intimate rather than exposed.

The nearest town is Holmfirth itself, famous enough from Last of the Summer Wine but worth exploring for its own sake. If you're staying at one of the local holiday parks - Secret Valley Escapes is barely two miles away, or Holme Valley Camping if you want something larger - Greasy Slack Wood makes a solid half-day outing that slots in nicely between longer walks. Don't expect information boards or facilities; it's that kind of woodland. Bring proper boots and you'll be fine. Go when it's been raining if you like the sound of water rushing through the trees.