Sullom High Wood

A proper woodland walk just outside Preston, Sullom High Wood delivers what you'd want from a Lancashire forest - decent paths, room to stretch your legs, and enough green to feel properly away from it all. The trees are tall enough to create that sense of enclosure without making you feel hemmed in, and there's a real mix of broadleaf and conifer that changes the light as you move through. On a clear day, the walks offer genuine countryside feeling despite being barely twenty minutes from the city centre.

You'll want to allow a good hour to ninety minutes here unless you're just doing a quick circuit. The terrain's manageable - nothing dramatic, but there are some gentle slopes that will give walkers a bit of work. Families with younger kids will get an hour out of it comfortably; teenagers might need a bit more incentive unless you're the type to stop and look at bark and birds. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, which counts for something in North West Lancashire.

If you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby - Claylands or Gibsons Barn are closest at around three miles - it's an obvious morning or afternoon filler. Nothing flashy, no admission fees or nonsense, just a straightforward woodland walk that does exactly what it says. Worth adding to your itinerary if you're doing a week in the area and want a bit of variation between the bigger attractions.