Waterlane Plantation

The woodland around Waterlane Plantation, just outside Saffron Walden, is one of those quiet Essex corners that rarely makes it into guidebooks. You won't find manicured paths or visitor centres here - it's proper forest, the kind where you can actually lose yourself for an afternoon without seeing another soul.

What you get is genuine woodland walking. The trees are old and dense enough to block out most of the sky, and the undergrowth changes with the seasons. Spring brings bluebells thick enough to make you slow down and actually look. Summer's too muggy for most people, but autumn is when this place earns its keep - the light filters through in that golden way that makes you understand why photographers get obsessed with woods.

It's not a destination in itself. Rather, it's the sort of place to slot into a longer walk around Saffron Walden if you're after genuine forest rather than parkland. Bring decent boots - it gets boggy - and allow two hours if you want to see what the plantation actually has to offer without rushing. Families with young kids might find it a bit samey; teenagers who like getting properly lost in the woods will think you've found gold.

If you're staying at Hidden Gem Glamping nearby, this is your obvious rainy-day walk. It's the real thing, without the pretence.