Oliver's Thicks

You'll find Oliver's Thicks tucked away east of Colchester, a proper Essex woodland that doesn't announce itself with fanfare or café queues. It's the sort of place where you actually notice the trees rather than just walk past them - ancient woodland with character, the kind locals have probably known about for years while tourists flock elsewhere.

The forest itself is fairly straightforward: woodland trails threading through deciduous growth, decent for a ramble if you're after some green space without climbing mountains. It's not dramatic or particularly grand, but that's rather the point. There's something refreshing about a wood that doesn't need to justify itself with a visitor centre or gift shop. You come here to walk, to listen, maybe to spot wildlife if you're lucky. Families with young kids will manage it fine - nothing too taxing - though older children might find an hour sufficient before boredom sets in.

If you're based at Teybrook Orchard just down the road, Oliver's Thicks makes a sensible half-morning outing. Not worth a special trip from London, but if you're already holiday-ing in the area and fancy escaping the caravan park for a bit of forest air, it ticks the box. Go early if you can - these places are better when they're quiet. The nearest town is Colchester, so you're not in the middle of nowhere, though honestly the walk matters more than any particular view here.