Perry Wood

Perry Wood is a proper working woodland just outside Faversham, the sort of place where you actually see people managing the trees rather than just wandering around a manicured nature reserve. It's a working wood with timber operations alongside the walking trails, which gives it a different character to your typical country park.

The woodland itself is mixed - beech and oak mostly - and there are decent paths threading through. You're not looking at dramatic vistas or anything, but it's genuinely peaceful and the kind of place where you notice things: bluebells if you time it right in spring, woodpeckers if you're quiet enough, the smell of the forest floor after rain. The walking is easy enough for families, though it can get muddy depending on the weather.

Allow a couple of hours for a gentle loop rather than treating it like a full day's outing. It works best if you're staying at Painters Farm Camping Site or Dunn Street Farm Campsite nearby - both within easy reach - and fancy getting out of the tent for a forest walk without driving anywhere. Kids will get something out of it if they're the type to spot wildlife or climb over logs. If you're after dramatic scenery or a playground, you'll be disappointed.

It's the sort of local woodland that rewards a visit when you're based in the area for a few days rather than a destination in itself. Free admission and no faffing about with opening hours - just turn up, though you'll want to check ground conditions after heavy rain.