Wothorpe Groves

You'll find yourself walking through proper woodland just outside Stamford - ancient trees, dappled light, the kind of place where you actually notice the quiet. Wothorpe Groves is one of those forests that feels like it's been here forever, which it more or less has. It's the real deal: mature broadleaf woodland where you can actually lose an hour without trying, following the paths between oaks and beeches, spotting the occasional deer if you're lucky.

This works brilliantly for walkers and families after something straightforward. Kids won't get fidgety - there's enough space to properly explore without it feeling like you're trudging round a tourist trap. The woodland floor is soft underfoot, and the paths are manageable without being boring. Bring a decent pair of boots though; it gets muddy after rain.

Timing-wise, allow anything from an hour to three hours depending on how lost you want to get. There's no admission fee - it's open access woodland - which means you can rock up whenever. Spring and early autumn are properly lovely, though honestly winter has its own appeal when the trees are bare and the light comes through differently.

If you're staying at Stamford Meadows Glamping just up the road, this is an obvious morning jaunt before heading to Rockingham Forest Park or The Nest Glamping's area. Stamford itself is close enough for lunch afterwards. It's not a spectacle - there's no visitor centre or gift shop - but that's rather the point. Sometimes a good walk through proper woodland is exactly what you need.