Woolwich Wood

The woodland around Woolwich Wood near Dover is the sort of place you stumble into on a grey afternoon and suddenly realise you've lost an hour without noticing. It's proper forest - dense enough that you feel removed from the world, but accessible enough that you're not hacking through brambles cursing your life choices.

There's no visitor centre or café, which some will find frustrating and others will see as exactly the point. You come here to walk, to let the kids burn off energy among the trees, to hear something other than traffic. The paths are reasonably well-maintained, though after rain they can be muddy - bring proper boots if you're visiting in winter.

It works brilliantly as a half-day excursion if you're based at one of the nearby glamping sites around Canterbury or Sandwich. Canterbury Lodges is only 5.6 miles away, which means you can be among the trees within ten minutes of leaving your tent or pod. Walk for an hour or two, grab lunch back in Dover town centre, job done. Families with younger kids will get a solid two hours out of it before someone demands ice cream. Walkers and dog owners might happily spend half a day here.

Free admission, as far as I can tell, and open whenever daylight allows. Best visited on a weekday if you want solitude - weekends can get busy with locals who know the place well. Don't expect views or drama. Come for the trees themselves.