Holl Lays Wood

Ancient woodland just a mile or so from Hitchin town centre - which is rather handy if you're already poking around the market town. Holl Lays Wood is proper old growth forest, the kind where you can actually feel the weight of centuries in the trees. Paths wind through it well enough, though it's dense in places and can get muddy after rain, so don't bother in wellingtons unless you're committed.

It's a solid hour's walk if you take it slowly and actually look at things - the bluebells in spring are genuinely worth making the trip for, and in autumn the light through the canopy is something else. Families with young kids will find it manageable; there's nothing treacherous, just quiet woodland, which means it won't hold their attention for hours. Serious walkers and nature types will get more out of it - the birds alone make it worthwhile if you know what you're listening for.

The forest sits nicely within reach of the holiday parks in the area. Almshoe Glamping is barely three miles away, making this an easy morning walk before heading elsewhere. Jacks Hill Caravans is a bit further out at just over five miles, but still a straightforward drive if you're basing yourselves there and want a break from the caravan site itself.

It's free to access, and there's no real catch - just turn up and walk. Best visited between late April and May when the woodland floor is carpeted in blue, or October when the colour is proper brilliant. Winter is bleak and muddy, summer crowds it out with families.