Oak Grove

The woodland around Oak Grove is one of those places that creeps up on you - you're driving through flat Norfolk farmland and suddenly there's actual shade and the smell of pine needles. It's a proper forest, which in Norfolk terms means something worth writing home about. The trees here are tall enough to make you forget you're in East Anglia, and the walking paths are straightforward enough that you won't need a map, though you might want to stick to the main routes if you're visiting with small children.

This is walker territory, full stop. If you're the sort who likes getting out of the car for an hour and stretching your legs without tackling a serious hike, Oak Grove fits perfectly. The light filters through the canopy in that way that makes everything feel a bit less scorching on a warm day - genuinely useful in summer. There's something calming about it, actually. No adrenaline required.

You're only a mile or so from Hunstanton, which means it works brilliantly as a break during a coastal holiday. Parkdean Resorts Manor Park and Searles Leisure Resort are just down the road, so families staying at either of those have an easy escape route when the beach gets too crowded or the weather turns drizzly. Wild Luxury glamping at 2.4 miles is a bit posher, but the forest doesn't care about your accommodation choice.

Standard Norfolk forestry rules apply - free to wander, no facilities that I'm aware of, so bring water. Allow a couple of hours maximum. It's decent, unpretentious woodland walking rather than a destination in itself, but that's precisely why it works.