Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

The Lee Valley stretches across Hertfordshire like a green thread, and the Regional Park Authority manages a proper network of wetlands, woodlands and lakes that most people barrel past on the way to somewhere else. You get a genuine mix here - some sections are tidy visitor centres with cafés, others are wild enough that you'll actually see kingfishers and water voles if you know where to look and move quietly.

Walking is the main draw. The valley's got decent footpaths that work whether you're after a gentle hour with binoculars or a proper half-day ramble. Birdwatchers will be happiest here - the reservoirs pull in winter migrants and breeding species depending on season. Families with younger kids might find the visitor facilities more welcoming than the raw marshland sections, though older children who don't mind mud will have a field day exploring.

It's free to roam most of the valley, though specific facilities may charge. Come early morning or late afternoon for the best wildlife activity. Winter's superb for birdwatching; spring brings nesting birds; summer's lush but can be buggy near water.

If you're caravan camping at Theobalds Park - just down the road - this is your back garden essentially. Even from Fowley Mead you're only twenty minutes away. The valley works best as part of a longer Hertfordshire break rather than a single destination, but it's the sort of place that gets under your skin once you've actually spent time there.