Rosselle Wood

Rosselle Wood is a proper woodland walk just outside Newark - the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think. It's a working forest rather than a manicured country estate, with decent trails threading through mixed woodland that feels genuinely wild in places. You'll find yourself among oak and birch, with enough elevation changes to keep things interesting without being exhausting.

Walkers get the most from this one. There's no visitor centre or cafe, so come prepared with water and a packed lunch if you're making a day of it. Allow two to three hours for a proper explore, though you can knock around for just an hour if time's tight. The paths are reasonably well marked, though a map helps. Kids can manage it fine if they're decent walkers - the woodland doesn't bore them like flat parkland sometimes does.

If you're based at New Hall Farm just down the road, Rosselle Wood makes an excellent morning mission before heading back for lunch. It complements a park holiday better than some attractions because you're genuinely in nature rather than queuing at a visitor attraction. Southwell Retreat's glamping pods are also close by if you fancy something slightly posher. The forest is free to access - nothing's signposted aggressively, which is either a bonus or a minor hassle depending on how you feel about minimal infrastructure.