Badsaddle Wood

The woodland around Badsaddle feels properly ancient, all gnarled oaks and dappled light filtering through a canopy that's been there longer than anyone can remember. It's the sort of place where you half-expect to turn a corner and find a woodsman's cottage from a fairy tale. Walking through here near Kettering, you get the sense of stepping back into an older England - thick undergrowth, proper forest floor beneath your boots, birdsong doing all the work.

This isn't a manicured country estate with clearly marked trails and cafe stops. It's raw woodland, which means you need to know what you're doing and wear decent boots. The forest rewards walkers who come in autumn when the light's golden and the leaf cover creates natural pockets of shelter. In summer it can feel a touch claustrophobic, though that depends on the trails you choose.

Walkers and nature types will get the most from Badsaddle. Families with younger kids might find it a bit demanding unless they're keen on genuine exploration rather than marked loops. Bring a map - there's something wonderfully old-school about navigating woodland by instinct and paperwork rather than phone apps.

It pairs nicely with a stay at Moon Valley Glamping Retreat just down the road. Spend your days in the forest, your evenings watching the countryside go quiet. Allow a couple of hours minimum, though you could easily lose half a day in here if the mood takes you. Go when it's been dry - wet woodland turns into muddy slogs quickly.