Redsells Wood

Redsells Wood is proper woodland - the kind where you actually feel like you've left Maidstone behind, even though you're only a few minutes out. It's a working forest with decent walking paths that wind through beech and oak, and on a decent day the dappled light through the canopy is genuinely lovely. You're looking at a decent couple of hours here if you take it slowly, though most people do a quick loop in under an hour and call it a day.

This is walkers' territory, full stop. Kids will manage fine if they're the type to splash in streams and poke about for bugs - there's enough space to let them run without losing sight of them - but it's not a theme park. Expect woodland, quiet, the occasional bird, and mud on your boots. No facilities to speak of, so bring water and something to eat if you're making a morning of it.

The real draw for families staying at Chegworth Mill Glamping or Bearsted Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is that it breaks up the park routine without a fuss. You can knock out a walk in your pyjamas basically, then be back for lunch. It's free, obviously - it's a wood - and there's no nonsense with opening hours or booking ahead. Just turn up and get on with it. Don't expect manicured trails or visitor centres; this is the real thing, which is precisely why it works.