The Lince

Walking into The Lince feels like stepping into a corner of Kent that's been quietly getting on with things for centuries. This is proper ancient woodland - the kind of place where the canopy does most of the talking and you're just grateful to be underneath it. Located a handful of miles south of Canterbury, it's the sort of forest that rewards you for leaving the main roads behind.

The woodland itself is dense and atmospheric, with paths that wind through native trees and the occasional sudden clearing that catches you off guard. There's nothing fancy about it - no visitor centre, no marked trails with interpretation boards, just woodland doing what woodland does. You'll find bluebells here in spring, which is reason enough to time your visit for April or May. Autumn's decent too, when the light gets that golden quality and the undergrowth turns rust-coloured.

This works best for people who actually enjoy forests rather than visiting them as a box-ticking exercise. Walkers will get the most from it; bring decent boots because it can be boggy. Kids who are into den-building and creek-paddling will be in their element. History types might appreciate that you're walking through landscape that's been continuously wooded for over a thousand years, though there's not much visible evidence of it.

If you're basing yourself at New Beach Holiday Park or Fallow Fields nearby, The Lince makes for a brilliant morning or afternoon break - nowhere near the crowds you'd hit at bigger Kent attractions, and the air actually smells like forest.