Kilwick Wood

The walk through Kilwick Wood hits differently in autumn. Towering beeches drop their leaves in sheets, and the ground underfoot turns soft and damp - proper forest floor stuff. It's a modest woodland near Olney, nothing dramatic, but the kind of place where you actually want to slow down and notice things. The paths are well-trodden and straightforward, making it decent for families who don't fancy wrestling with brambles and orienteering all afternoon.

You're looking at a couple of hours here, maybe less if you're just popping in for a quick leg-stretch. There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, so come prepared with water. The wood itself is quiet - genuinely quiet - which counts for something when you're camped at one of the nearby parks like Riverview Park or Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park. Both are within six miles, so this works as a morning outing before heading back for lunch.

Walkers will appreciate the straightforward routes, and if you've got kids who can manage a gentle woodland trail without constant demands for ice cream, they'll probably enjoy the chance to spot deer and mess about with sticks. It's not the sort of place that'll occupy you for a full day, but as part of a park holiday in this corner of Northamptonshire, it's worth the drive from Olney. Go when the weather's decent - muddy isn't fun, just muddy.