Hecks Wood

The trees here run thick and dark, cutting off the North Yorkshire sky entirely once you're a few minutes in. Hecks Wood is a proper forest walk rather than a managed visitor attraction - no visitor centre, no café, just woodland paths that wind through steep-sided valleys near Whitby. You'll find yourself walking alongside streams, roots underfoot, and the kind of quiet that makes you remember why you came north in the first place.

It's the sort of place walkers and families with decent boots will absolutely get on with. The paths aren't brutally difficult, but the terrain is uneven and can get boggy after rain, so pick your moment. Allow an hour minimum if you're just pottering about, longer if you want to properly explore the various trails that branch off. There's no admission fee - you simply turn up and walk in.

What works well is combining this with a stay at one of the nearby caravan parks. Broadings Farm is only three miles away, while Whitby Holiday Park sits at under five miles, both solid bases for exploring the coast and inland walks. If you're after something with a five-star rating, Northcliffe and Seaview Parks at 5.8 miles offers proper polish. The wood itself is best visited when it's not raining - the advantage of being just inland from Whitby is you can check the weather and head up here if the coast is looking grey. Kids will either love it or find it a bit samey after half an hour depending on how keen they are on trees and mud.