Sowber Gate Plantation

You'll find yourself walking through solid ranks of conifers, the light filtering through in dusty columns, somewhere between Thirsk and the open moorland beyond. Sowber Gate Plantation isn't a manicured country estate - it's proper working forest, which means the paths are decent but you're always aware you're moving through someone's timber investment rather than a visitor attraction dressed up as nature.

The appeal is straightforward. If you want a woodland walk without crowds or facilities, this does the job well. The trees are tall enough to feel immersive, tall enough to block out the North Yorkshire sky, and the floor is soft with decades of needles. There's no café, no gift shop, no problem with that.

Walkers get the most from it - families with young kids might find it a bit samey after half an hour, though older children who actually want to stretch their legs will be fine. The paths don't demand map-reading skills. Allow an hour if you're not covering serious ground, longer if you're the type to wander.

It works well as a break in a caravan holiday - Pembroke and Camp Kátur are both within easy striking distance, each about four to five miles away, so you're not spending half the day on the drive. Stop here between a visit to somewhere livelier and an afternoon at one of the more established attractions dotted around the vale. Free access, no hassle, no crowds. That's the whole point really.