Old Meadow Wood

A proper woodland walk just outside Worksop, Old Meadow Wood is one of those forests that rewards you for getting off the main road. It's quiet - the kind of place where you actually hear birds rather than traffic - and the canopy is thick enough that even on drizzly days, you'll stay reasonably dry under the trees.

What you get is straightforward: woodland paths that wind through established trees, plenty of shade, and the sort of forest floor that's soft underfoot. It's not dramatic or particularly wild, but it works well if you're staying at Riverside Caravan Park nearby and fancy a morning walk without driving far. Families with younger kids will manage it fine - there's nothing technically challenging - though they might lose interest after an hour or so. Older children and proper walkers will appreciate having a legitimate green space that doesn't require a tourist attraction entry fee.

The wood is genuinely free to access, and you can spend as little or as long as you like wandering about. There's no visitor centre or facilities that we could find, so come prepared with water and snacks. Best visited in spring or early summer when the woodland floor is alive, though autumn's decent for mushroom spotting if you're into that sort of thing.

If you're basing yourself at Clumber Park Lodges - just five miles away - this makes a solid complement to a park holiday rather than a destination in itself. It's the sort of place to potter through on a morning before heading somewhere with more going on.