John’s Wood - Woodland Trust

Walk into John's Wood near Ely and you're immediately swallowed by proper woodland - the kind where the canopy closes overhead and you lose sight of the outside world. It's a Woodland Trust site, which means it's well-maintained but left wild enough to feel genuine.

The wood itself isn't massive, but that's rather the point. You can wander the main paths in under an hour, though you'll want longer if you're into birds or fungi. The ground gets boggy in winter, so bring decent boots if you've had rain. Spring is cracking here - bluebells thick on the forest floor, dawn chorus worth the early start. Summer's warm and damp between the trees; autumn transforms it into something altogether moodier.

It's brilliant for families who want their kids to run about without the manicured feeling of a country estate. Older walkers appreciate the relative flatness. Photographers will find decent light filtering through in late afternoon. What it won't offer you is dramatic views or rare specimens - this is honest, local woodland, the sort of place you visit because it's there and it does you good.

Free to enter, no facilities to speak of, so pack what you need. You're only a few miles from Ely itself, and Heatherbield Lodge sits just 2.6 miles away if you're staying put for a few days. Pair it with a walk round the cathedral town and you've got a proper afternoon sorted.