Lilies Wood

The walk through Lilies Wood is straightforward and popular with locals around Matlock - it's the sort of place you nip into for an hour rather than plan your entire day around. Deciduous trees, decent paths, nothing that'll challenge experienced walkers but equally nothing that'll bore them stiff. It's genuinely pleasant if you're camped at Carsington Water or Carsington Fields and need a break from caravan life without driving miles.

The wood itself is fairly standard Derbyshire fare. You get the usual mix of oak and beech, a bit of bluebells if you time it right in spring, and the kind of dappled shade that makes a proper difference on warm days. The paths are well-maintained and easy to follow, which means families with younger kids won't spend the afternoon arguing about which way to go.

Walkers heading out from Matlock will find this worth a morning's ramble, though the woodland doesn't have major views or dramatic geological features to write home about. It works best as part of a larger route rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at one of the holiday parks within five miles - Ashbourne Heights or Poplars Farm, say - it's convenient enough for a post-breakfast stroll.

Bring decent shoes after rain because the ground gets boggy in patches. There's no obvious visitor infrastructure, so pack your own coffee. Realistically, allow ninety minutes to two hours to enjoy it properly rather than rush through. It's good woodland, just not spectacular.