Neil's Mile

The path along Neil's Mile feels properly remote for somewhere so close to Saffron Walden - which caught me off guard given how built-up the market town gets. It's a nature reserve where you're walking through open countryside rather than woodland, which means your views don't get hemmed in by trees. The reserve itself is fairly low-key. You won't find visitor centres or interpretation boards. What you get instead is a straightforward walk through wetland and grassland habitat, the kind of place where spotting a kestrel or a heron feels like a small win.

The real appeal here is simplicity. There's no entrance fee kerfuffle, no queuing. You just turn up and walk. Families with young legs won't find this dramatic enough - it's gently rolling rather than challenging. But if you're after a proper stretch of the legs between villages, or you're into spotting birds and butterflies, it's time well spent. Allow 45 minutes to an hour depending on how slowly you move.

It works well as part of a broader walk around the area rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at Piggles Retreat, it's about six miles away, so you'd need wheels to get here. Worth combining with a trip into Saffron Walden itself - check out the castle ruins if you've got time. The reserve is at its best in spring and early summer when the wildflowers are up. Winter is honestly a bit bleak.