Pandole Wood

The woods near Burnham-on-Crouch are proper Essex - flat, a bit wild, and best visited when you know what to expect. Pandole Wood offers a decent stretch of walking through mixed woodland, the sort of place where you can actually lose the sound of cars for twenty minutes if you're lucky.

It's not dramatic. There are no vistas, no dramatic ravines, no rare orchids blooming in secret glades. What you get instead is a genuine woodland walk - trees, undergrowth, the occasional muddy section that catches you off guard. The paths are workable rather than manicured, which means you feel like you're actually in a wood rather than a theme park version of one.

For families with young kids, an hour here works fine - enough space to run about, enough variety that they won't complain of boredom. Older walkers treating it as part of a longer route around the Crouch Valley will get more from it. Bring wellies in winter; the drainage isn't exceptional.

It's a free wood - no visitor centre, no car park to speak of, no facilities. That's either the appeal or the barrier, depending on your outlook. If you're staying at Silver Road Caravan Park or any of the other parks within a few miles of Burnham, Pandole Wood is a useful local option to know about. Not worth planning a holiday around, but if you're in the area, worth thirty minutes exploring.