Great Glen Recreational Ground

The Great Glen Recreational Ground sits just outside Leicester and does exactly what it says on the tin - gives you proper access to the countryside without needing to drive for hours. It's a nature reserve that feels genuinely wild despite being close to the city, with paths cutting through woodland and open grassland that change with the seasons.

You'll find yourself walking past ponds where you might spot dragonflies, through areas thick with native trees, and across meadows that actually look like someone's left them alone for five minutes. It's the kind of place where families can let kids run about freely without worrying, and where serious nature spotters will spend hours with binoculars looking for birds. Dog walkers love it too - the paths are easy going and there's enough space that you won't feel like you're treading on someone else's heel every thirty seconds.

Allow a couple of hours minimum if you want to properly explore it, though you can easily do a quick forty-minute loop if you're pressed for time. It's free to access and works brilliantly as a break from park life if you're staying at Fox's Furrow or Valley View Escapes nearby. The best time is spring when the birds are nesting and the woodland floor comes alive, though honestly any season has something worth seeing. Bring wellies though - bits of it can get boggy after rain.