Linear Walk

The Linear Walk is a proper ribbon of a trail cutting through Nottinghamshire countryside, following the course of an old railway line. You're walking on reclaimed ground here - the kind of place where nature's quietly reclaimed what humans built, and it works beautifully. It's flat, which means no huffing and puffing, and wide enough that you won't be squeezed into single file behind dog walkers.

This is ideal territory if you're staying at one of the nearby camping spots - Peacock Lake Glamping or Gunthorpe Camping are close by - and you want a solid two to three hours out of the tent or caravan without needing a map and a packed lunch for three days. Families with younger kids will find the easy gradient a godsend. Walkers who prefer straightforward routes over scrambling up hills will appreciate it too.

The walk takes you through the kind of landscape that doesn't shout about itself: woodland strips, open stretches, the odd bridge crossing underneath. It's genuinely rewarding rather than dramatic. Bring binoculars if you're into birds - the former railway corridor attracts them. Spring and early summer are when it's at its best, though it's accessible year-round assuming it hasn't turned into a quagmire after heavy rain.

Based near Nottingham, it slots perfectly into a mixed park holiday where you're splitting time between relaxing at base camp and actually getting out and moving. Not a day-tripper destination in itself, but exactly the sort of walk that makes a caravan break feel earned.