Grimston Carr

The woodland at Grimston Carr spreads across Norfolk's gently rolling landscape, a proper tangle of ancient trees and open glades that feels genuinely removed from the nearby villages. It's the sort of place where you can walk for twenty minutes and forget there's a town at all - though Grimston itself is just on the doorstep.

What you get here are genuine forest trails rather than anything manicured or visitor-centre polished. The paths wind through mixed woodland with decent native tree coverage, and it's the kind of spot where you'll actually see woodland birds if you're quiet about it. On damp days the ground squelches pleasantly underfoot; in autumn the leaf cover is thick enough to muffle sound entirely.

This works best for walkers and families who want to burn some energy without the crowds you'd find at more famous Norfolk nature reserves. Children enjoy it because they can actually explore rather than shuffle along a prescribed route, and the woodland floor keeps things interesting - logs to clamber over, the occasional boggy patch to navigate.

Since it's only a few miles from Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa, it makes an excellent morning walk if you're staying there. The forest doesn't demand hours - you could do a decent circuit in 45 minutes to an hour - which makes it perfect for breaking up a park-based holiday. Bring proper footwear though; Norfolk woodland drains poorly, and even on dry days there are muddy patches worth avoiding.