Ash Holt

This stretch of woodland east of Newark is the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for, but once you're in it, you'll understand why locals keep coming back. Ash Holt is a proper forest walk, the kind where the canopy does its job and you actually feel removed from the world for an hour or two.

The trails wind through mixed woodland - oak, ash, birch - with the ground soft underfoot most of the time. It's gentle enough for families with decent-aged kids, though very young ones might find it unrewarding since there's no dramatic viewpoint or adventure playground to justify the trek. Walkers will get more out of it. The paths are well-maintained and straightforward to follow, so you won't spend the afternoon consulting your phone.

Timing-wise, you're looking at an hour for a casual loop, maybe ninety minutes if you're pottering about. Go midweek if you can - weekends bring the full contingent from Newark and surrounding areas. Spring is particularly worth the visit when the woodland floor comes alive.

It works brilliantly as a morning break from a week at one of the nearby parks. Trentfield Farm and Wild Acre Village are both close enough for a quick leg-stretch, while if you're staying at Sundown Adventureland and need some green space without the theme park noise, Ash Holt delivers exactly that. Free to access, no visitor centre nonsense, just a forest and your own pace.