Stonepit Spinney

Walk into Stonepit Spinney and you're immediately swallowed by proper woodland - the kind where the canopy closes overhead and you lose track of which direction you came from. It's a genuine forest, not the manicured sort, with paths that wind between mature trees and enough undergrowth to feel genuinely wild for rural Leicestershire.

This is brilliant for walkers who want to stretch their legs without committing to a full day out. You can potter about for an hour or two, spotting whatever birds and small creatures are about depending on the season. Kids will enjoy scrambling over fallen logs and pretending they're explorers, though there's nothing in the way of facilities or attractions once you're in there - it's pure woodland, no playground nonsense.

The spinney sits well within reach of the Leicestershire holiday park cluster. Frisby Lakes Lodge Park and The Grange Camping and Caravan Park are both just a few miles away, as are the Eye Kettleby Lakes sites if you're after something with a bit more going on. It's the sort of place you'd visit mid-afternoon when the weather's decent, break up an otherwise static holiday where you're based at one of the parks.

Timing-wise, go when it's not been raining heavily - the paths get boggy and less pleasant. Autumn's probably best, when the leaf cover makes it feel even more enclosed and atmospheric. Free access as far as we can tell, which counts in its favour. Honest woodland walking without the crowds or the entrance fees.