Oak Wood

A proper woodland walk through South Yorkshire's Oak Wood feels like stepping back a few centuries, even though you're only a handful of miles from Doncaster. The trees are old - genuinely old - and the forest floor is thick with leaf litter and the smell of damp earth. It's the kind of place where you actually notice the quiet.

What you're doing here is straightforward: walking. There are paths that weave through the woods, and depending on which route you take, you could spend anywhere from forty minutes to a couple of hours in here. Bring decent boots if it's been wet - parts of it get properly boggy. The light filters through the canopy in that particular way that makes photographers stop and fidget with their cameras, and it does look as good as it sounds.

Families with kids will manage fine on the main tracks, though younger ones might find a full circuit dull once the novelty of "trees" wears off. Serious walkers will appreciate the quietness and the fact there's actual woodland here, not just a manicured nature trail. History buffs might find the age of some of these oaks interesting enough to justify the visit, if nothing else.

It's free, as far as anyone can tell - the woods aren't gated or managed by anyone with obvious commercial intentions. Base yourself at Mooreacres or Bawtry caravan park if you're staying in the area, and Oak Wood makes for a proper leg-stretcher between visits to the other attractions nearby.