Moss Hall Spinney

A modest woodland tucked away near Northampton that punches above its weight if you're after a proper forest walk without the crowds. Moss Hall Spinney is the sort of place locals know and visitors miss, which is exactly why it's worth the detour from the main parks in the area.

The spinney itself is small - we're talking thirty minutes to an hour maximum if you wander slowly - but the trees are mature and the paths are decent underfoot even after rain. You get proper woodland feel: dappled light, birdsong, the works. It's genuinely quiet, which matters more than you'd think when you're camping at somewhere like Lakeview Glamping just down the road.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's not a destination in itself, but rather the sort of spot to fill a morning while based at Bunkers Hill Farm or Steepleton Lodge Glamping. Families with younger kids might find it a bit samey after the first fifteen minutes - there's no play area or focal point, just forest. History types won't find much either. What you get is woods, and either that appeals or it doesn't.

The beauty is you can combine it easily with other local walks. It's close enough to Northampton to be accessible, far enough out that you still feel you've escaped. Bring decent boots after rain and go early in the day when the light's best filtering through the canopy. Don't expect facilities - there's no café, no visitor centre, just trees.