Olivers Dog Walking Field

Just outside Maldon, there's a proper field where dogs can have a proper run about without a lead in sight. Oliver's Dog Walking Field is exactly what the name suggests - no frills, no café, just open ground where your dog can burn off whatever energy it's accumulated in the car journey from wherever you've come from.

The setup is straightforward. It's a designated area where dogs are allowed off-lead, which means yours can actually behave like a dog for once instead of trudging along at heel through some manicured park. The field itself is reasonably sized, so even the most energetic springer spaniel won't have lapped it three times before getting bored. There's fencing around the perimeter, which is the whole point - you can relax knowing your dog isn't about to bolt toward the A414.

Who'll get the most from it? Families with dogs, obviously, but especially anyone with a young pup that needs proper socialisation around other dogs, or an older mutt that just wants space to potter without the lead being a nuisance. If your holiday accommodation is at Hoe Mill Lock, The Courts, or one of the other caravan parks dotted around the Maldon area, this is genuinely useful - a 10-minute stop to tire out the hound before heading to the beach or tackling some estuary walks.

It's free to use and takes about 20 minutes if you've got a dog that doesn't want to stay all day. Go mid-week if you can - weekends get busier and the field gets a bit churned up when there's a crowd.