Great Wood

A proper woodland walk just outside Northampton, Great Wood offers the kind of peace you don't expect to find this close to town. The forest itself isn't vast - you're looking at a solid hour's ramble if you take your time - but it's dense enough that you'll forget the urban sprawl exists. Mixed woodland with decent paths, the sort of place where you actually notice the seasons changing.

It works best for walkers wanting a quick woodland fix without driving an hour into the Midshires. Families with younger kids will manage it fine, though there's nothing flashy here - no play areas, no visitor centre, just trees and quiet. The paths are reasonably well-trodden and navigable in most weather, though it gets muddy after rain like everywhere else.

What makes it genuinely useful is the location. You're within spitting distance of Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park and several other caravan spots in the area, so if you're staying put for a week, this is your go-to when the kids need burning off or you fancy a solo walk before breakfast. Grendon Lakes is also nearby if you want water-based alternatives.

There's nothing revelatory about Great Wood - it won't be the highlight of your trip - but it does what it says: it's a wood, it's walkable, and it breaks up a park-based holiday nicely. Free entry, as you'd expect, and no real facilities to speak of, so bring your own water. Best visited on a weekday morning when it's genuinely quiet.