Molly Carr Wood

The woodland around Molly Carr near Holmfirth is proper walking country. It's the sort of place you stumble into without fanfare - no visitor centre, no charge, just trees and footpaths that actually go somewhere. The wood itself sits on the edge of the Pennines, which means the ground gets steep in places and the light filters through the canopy in that particular way Yorkshire moorland woods do when autumn's coming on.

This is genuinely good terrain for families who've got kids past the pushchair stage. A moderate walk through here takes you past becks and over rough ground without needing specialist kit. If you're hiking the wider area around Holmfirth, Molly Carr Wood breaks up the moorland beautifully - you get the relief of tree cover after the exposed hills. Allow an hour or so for a decent loop, longer if you're pottering about looking at ferns and fallen branches.

Walkers will find it fits perfectly between trips to the moors and village exploration. The nearest holiday parks - Secret Valley Escapes is your closest at just over four miles out, while Whitegate Leisure and The Holiday Pod both sit within reasonable driving distance - make it easy to base yourself locally. Go when it's not raining, because the paths turn into proper bogs otherwise. Spring and early autumn are ideal; the summer crowds tend to bypass this in favour of the bigger attractions round Hebden Bridge.