Hanger's Spinney

The woods here are proper thick - ancient beech and oak that tower overhead and block out most of the sky even in summer. Hanger's Spinney sits just outside Olney, and it's the kind of place that makes you feel like you've walked into a different century, all quiet and cool underfoot with leaf mould that's been accumulating for decades.

It's a small woodland, mind you. You won't spend all day here, but that's rather the point. An hour's walk through the trees is exactly what you need when you've been sat in a caravan at Billing Aquadrome or one of the other parks nearby. The paths are manageable, though they get a bit boggy after rain - proper waterproof boots aren't luxury, they're sense.

Walkers with any interest in woodland ecology will find plenty to notice: fungi, bird life, the way light filters through the canopy. Kids might get distracted after forty minutes unless they're genuinely into spotting wildlife. It's not a destination that warrants a special trip on its own, but combined with a visit to Olney itself - the riverside walks there are lovely - or as part of a broader exploration of the Nene Valley parks, it slots in nicely.

Bring binoculars if you're a birder. There's no café, no facilities to speak of. It's just you, the trees, and the sound of your own footsteps. That's exactly what makes it worth the short drive from Riverview Park or Glamping Pod.