Belcher's and Broadfield Woods

The woods around Halstead offer proper walking territory if you know where to look. Belcher's and Broadfield Woods are two separate patches of Essex woodland that locals hike between, though they're not the sort of place with visitor centres or marked trails - you'll need decent boots and an Ordnance Survey map or a GPS app that knows what it's doing.

What you get is old woodland, the kind where the trees actually feel established rather than planted yesterday. The canopy is thick enough that it's cool even on warm days, and in spring the woodland floor floods with bluebells. There are proper rides - the old forestry tracks - that cut through, so you're not bushwhacking, but it's genuinely quiet. You might see muntjac or the odd pheasant. The walking here appeals to anyone who likes forests without the theme-park treatment - no visitor facilities, no crowds, just trees and paths.

Allow two to three hours for a decent loop walk if you're combining both woods. Summer works fine, but autumn is when it's worth the trip - the light gets lower, the colours proper show, and fewer families are about. Winter can be muddy as hell.

It works well if you're based at Gosfield Lake Resort or Woodchests Glamping nearby - close enough for a morning walk before heading to wherever else you're going in Essex, but proper woodland rather than manicured parkland. Not one for young children or anyone wanting facilities, but exactly right if you want a genuine bit of Essex countryside.