Sanderfield Wood

The woodland around Sanderfield, just outside Kenilworth, is proper walking country - dense enough to feel like you've actually left civilisation, but accessible enough that you won't need proper hiking boots. Mature trees, decent paths, and the kind of quiet you don't often find this close to the West Midlands urban sprawl.

It's a straightforward woodland walk rather than a dramatic destination. You're here for the peace and a bit of fresh air, not for viewpoints or heritage sites. Families with younger kids will manage fine on the main paths, though it can get muddy after rain - very muddy. Walkers after a proper leg-stretch will find a few hours' worth of routes threading through here, and it's the sort of place where dog owners actually seem to outnumber everyone else, which tells you something about how dog-friendly it is.

The nearest decent base is Gate Farm Caravan Club CL, only four miles away, which makes it an easy morning outing from a park holiday. Mousley House Farm and Somers Wood are also within striking distance if you've got a caravan or tent pitched nearby. Free access, no visitor centre, no facilities that I could see - just turn up and walk. Best visited in autumn when the canopy's turning, though frankly it works any time the ground isn't waterlogged. Not worth planning a trip around on its own, but if you're staying in the Kenilworth area, it's worth knowing it's there.