Shipman's Plantation

The woodland at Shipman's Plantation offers a proper dose of Lincolnshire countryside without the fuss. It's a working forest rather than a manicured nature reserve, which means you get genuine woodland walking through mixed tree cover instead of sanitised paths and visitor centres. The trees are dense enough to feel properly secluded, even though you're only a few miles from Newark.

Walkers will get the most from this one. There's no admission charge and no set routes, so you can potter about for an hour or half a day depending on energy levels. The terrain is straightforward - mostly flat woodland floor, which suits families with younger kids, though it's not a destination that'll grip them for hours. Older children who enjoy spotting wildlife or collecting interesting branches will do better here.

Timing-wise, spring and autumn are loveliest. Summer can get a bit dull if there's been no rain. Winter reveals the woodland structure properly and you might actually spot deer if you're quiet.

It works well as a half-day activity if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Wagtail Country Park and Witham Grange Glamping are both close by. Combine it with a wander around Newark town itself, which has genuine medieval bones worth exploring. Don't expect anything dramatic or Instagram-worthy. This is proper woodland for a decent walk, nothing more, nothing less.