Wigman Wood

The woodland around Wigman Wood, just outside York, is proper woodland - the sort where you actually feel like you've left the city behind, even though you haven't gone far. Oak and birch crowd the paths, and in spring it's carpeted with bluebells; come autumn and it's all golden leaf-fall and mushrooms poking up everywhere.

It's a walker's spot, no question. The trails wind through decent acreage without being gruelling, so families with kids in the eight-to-fourteen range will have a genuinely good time here rather than complaints about sore feet after twenty minutes. The shade is welcome on hot days, though bring wellies after rain because it does get boggy.

Free to roam, and there's no entrance gate or visitor centre faffing about - you just turn up and get stuck in. Allow a couple of hours if you want to do the main loop without rushing. Spring's the obvious choice for the flowers, but honestly, late autumn is better if you can manage it. Fewer people, better light through the bare branches, and there's something quite atmospheric about it.

If you're staying at Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm just five miles away, this makes an easy half-day excursion, or try Acorn Glade Glamping York if you want something a touch more upmarket. Either way, Wigman Wood works well as a breather between proper attractions - it's not going to monopolise your whole day, but it'll remind you why you bothered leaving the house.