New Wood

Walk into New Wood and you're immediately swallowed by proper old-growth woodland - the kind that makes you forget Derby's just a few miles away. Oak and beech tower overhead, blocking out most of the sky, and the ground beneath your feet is soft with decades of leaf litter. It's the sort of place that feels genuinely wild, even though it's close to civilization.

This is decent territory for walkers who want something low-key without the faffing about of a major visitor attraction. There are footpaths threading through, nothing too demanding, and it's the kind of woodland walk where you might spot deer if you're quiet enough. Families with younger kids will get a kick out of it for an hour or so - there's that primal appeal of being among proper trees - though there's no infrastructure here, no visitor centre or tea room. It's just woodland.

The beauty of New Wood is that it doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. No admission charges that I'm aware of, no opening hours to worry about. If you're staying at Field of Dreams Glamping just down the road, this works brilliantly as a morning walk before breakfast. The contrast between glamping and getting muddy in actual forest is part of the appeal. It's worth the detour if you're in the area, especially in autumn when the light filters through russet and gold, but don't rearrange your entire trip for it. Go for the walk, not the destination.