Triangular

The name alone is enough to make you curious - Triangular Forest is exactly what it says on the tin, a triangular wedge of woodland just east of Ipswich that cuts into the Essex flatlands like a green arrow. It's proper forest too, not some manicured country estate. Ancient oaks and conifers create a dense canopy, and there's real solitude on the paths, which is rare this close to town.

Walkers will find genuine value here. The trails wind through thick undergrowth, and you get that proper woodland feeling - damp earth, bird calls, the works. It's the kind of place where an hour disappears without you noticing, though it won't exhaust you either. Family groups with younger kids might find the paths a touch muddy and monotonous after 45 minutes, but teenagers who actually like being outdoors will get on with it.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Suffolk Steel House is closest at under two miles - this works as a morning sortie or a late afternoon escape. The Lost Garden Retreat (4.3 miles) and Ardleigh Caravan Park (6.3 miles) are reasonable drives if you want a proper walk somewhere greener than your pitch. Don't expect facilities or car parks with proper signage; this is a genuine working forest, quiet and untidy in the best way. Go when the light's good, wear decent boots, and bring a map if you're not confident with navigation.