Hillsborough Forest Park

The forest rises up behind Hillsborough town itself - you're barely out of the village when the trees close in and the noise of traffic drops away. It's a proper working forest, managed for timber, so there's a working feel to it that some visitors find refreshing and others find slightly less romantic than a pure nature reserve.

What you get is a decent network of walking trails threading through mature woodland, with a few open viewpoints where you can actually see across the surrounding countryside rather than just staring at tree trunks. The main reservoir adds something - there's water to look at, which breaks up the monotony. A solid two-to-three-hour visit if you pick one of the longer routes; an hour is enough if you're just after a leg-stretch from the caravan.

It works best for serious walkers rather than families with small children - the trails are reasonably well-marked but it's not a manicured park with facilities scattered about. You'll want proper shoes. Locals use it regularly, which says something about the value, though it's not the kind of place that stops you in your tracks.

Fits neatly into a longer day if you're basing yourself at Lakeside View - which is only 3.6 miles away - and combining it with a wander round Hillsborough village itself. The forest is free, as far as anyone can tell, though finding official opening times can be tricky. Go on a weekday morning if you can; weekends get busier than they should for somewhere this size.