Sour Butts Wood

The name alone stops you in your tracks, but Sour Butts Wood is a genuine slice of Cumbrian forest that delivers proper walking country without the crowds you'd find at the honeypot spots around Windermere. It's a working woodland near the A590, close enough to Newby Bridge that you can break up a caravan holiday without burning petrol all morning.

What you get is classic Lake District mixed woodland - beech, oak, and conifers creating that dappled light that makes everything feel a bit more peaceful than it probably is. The paths wind through without being manicured to death, which is refreshing. You'll spot the occasional walker and their dog, but it's not rammed with selfie sticks and tour groups. Depending on the route you pick, you're looking at anything from a gentle 30-minute potter to a proper couple-hour ramble.

Honestly? It's best for people who actually like walking rather than the "shall we go somewhere" crowd. Kids will get bored unless they're the type who enjoy scrambling over fallen trees and spotting birds. If you're staying at Park Cliffe or Hill of Oaks, it's absolutely worth knocking out before lunch - far less faff than driving to somewhere "bigger." Spring's lovely here when the woodland floor's buzzing. Summer can be muggy between the trees.

Free access, no facilities to speak of. Don't expect signs screaming where to go - that's part of its charm, really. Bring a map or download offline directions before you arrive.