Spelthorn Wood

You won't find visitor facilities or signage at Spelthorn Wood - it's the kind of Suffolk woodland that rewards you for simply turning up with decent boots and an OS map. The forest sits east of Sudbury and offers a proper network of woodland paths through mature trees, with patches of open ground where light actually reaches the forest floor. It's walked rather than viewed. Bring binoculars if you're into birds; woodland species are the main event here.

Families with younger kids might find it a bit monotonous after thirty minutes or so - there's no play area or cafe to break things up. Walkers and nature enthusiasts will get considerably more out of it, especially if you're patient enough to spot the resident woodland life. Allow an hour to ninety minutes depending on how deep you want to go into the paths.

The woodland works well as a morning walk if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Cranfield Retreat is just over two miles away, as is Lake View Lodges Suffolk, both solid options for a longer stay in the area. You could easily combine Spelthorn with a walk around Sudbury itself, which has genuine medieval charm along the River Stour. Free to access, naturally. Best visited in autumn or spring when you're less likely to be covered in midges and the canopy isn't so thick that everything feels claustrophobic. It's not a destination in itself, but it's exactly what you need if you're after a quiet woodland ramble during a Suffolk holiday.