Old Hall Wood

Walking into Old Hall Wood feels like stepping back about fifty years - it's that kind of proper, untouched corner of Essex that doesn't scream for attention. The woodland sits east of Ipswich and offers straightforward forest trails through mature trees, with enough paths to keep you occupied for a couple of hours without needing to commit to a full day's hike.

It's best suited to walkers after something low-key and families wanting an easy woodland wander. The trails are manageable rather than challenging, so you won't need proper hiking boots or a detailed map, though neither would go amiss. Kids tend to enjoy it - there's enough space to let them run ahead without losing them entirely, and fallen logs make natural climbing frames if you're that sort of family.

The wood is free to access, and realistically you'll want between 90 minutes and two hours to do justice to it. Spring and autumn are especially nice, when you're not fighting through high summer heat or trudging through winter mud.

If you're staying at Suffolk Steel House & Glamping just over a mile away or The Lost Garden Retreat at 3.7 miles, Old Hall Wood works as a proper palate cleanser between park activities - close enough for a morning outing before lunch, far enough that you feel like you've gone somewhere. It's not the Cotswolds, but that's partly the point. Sometimes a straightforward bit of Essex woodland is exactly what you need.