Rigsby Wood - Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

The woodland at Rigsby, managed by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, is a proper breath of fresh air if you're camping around Alford. It's not a grand visitor attraction with cafes and gift shops - it's the real thing, a working nature reserve where you can actually see what conservation looks like on the ground.

What you get here is woodland walking through native trees and established scrub. The paths are straightforward enough for families, though it's muddy in winter and you'll want decent boots. Allow an hour or so to get a feel for it without rushing. The Wildlife Trust does the heavy lifting in terms of management - coppicing, clearance, habitat creation - so you're walking through land that's actively being improved for wildlife rather than just left to its own devices.

This suits walkers who prefer substance over spectacle, and families after a proper woodland experience rather a manicured nature trail. History types won't find much to grab onto here, but birders and plant enthusiasts will spend time with a decent field guide.

It's free to access, which makes it well worth combining with the caravan sites clustered nearby - Woodthorpe Leisure Park is closest at under three miles, or try one of the others dotted around. If you're based at any of these, Rigsby Wood becomes a proper easy leg-stretch without needing to pile everyone in the car. The Alford area itself has decent enough pubs and a working mill if you want something to do besides walking.