Weardale

The Weald is thick with woodland, and Weardale is where you'll find some of the best of it - a proper forest that actually feels like forest, not a manicured park with a few trees. You're on the outskirts of Edenbridge, which makes it convenient if you're staying at Luna Domes up the road, though the drive from there is only about ten minutes anyway.

Walking here beats a lot of the more famous spots round Kent. The paths wind through mature beech and oak, and on a decent day the dappled light through the canopy is exactly what you came for. It's not dramatic - no rock formations or dramatic vistas - but that's rather the point. You get forest. Real, proper forest.

Families with young kids will manage fine on the main trails, though prams might struggle depending on conditions. Older children who can hike properly will get genuine miles in without boredom. Serious walkers use this as a leg of longer routes rather than a destination in itself, which tells you something.

Bring decent boots if you've had rain - it can get boggy in patches. There's no entrance fee and no time limit, so you can do an hour or a half-day depending on energy. Early morning is worth the effort; you'll have the place nearly to yourself. It's the sort of place that doesn't need bells and whistles. The forest does the work.