Longrope Wood

The woodland paths through Longrope Wood are proper quiet - the sort of place where you'll actually hear birdsong instead of your own footsteps echoing back. It's an easy walk from Ashford, and the forest floor is soft enough underfoot that it won't knacker your legs, which counts for something when you're halfway through a week of exploring Kent.

What you get here is straightforward: mature woodland, decent paths that don't require hiking boots, and the kind of green space that feels genuinely removed from anything built. There are proper trees - oak, beech, the sort of specimens that make you remember why people bang on about ancient woodland. The walk takes about an hour if you meander, longer if you're stopping to photograph things.

Families with young kids will find it manageable without the whinging that comes from longer hikes. Walkers treating a Kent break as a chance to rack up steps will find it pleasant rather than challenging - good for a morning circuit before heading to lunch. History buffs won't find anything obvious here, but the woodland itself is the draw.

If you're camped at Broadhembury or Wildside, both within spitting distance, this is exactly the sort of low-key diversion that stops a holiday becoming all about where you'll eat next. No fancy facilities to speak of, just proper woodland. Free, as far as we can tell, and worth slotting into a morning if you're in the area.