Bury Wood

Walking into Bury Wood feels like stepping back a couple of centuries - the trees are old, the paths wind properly, and there's barely a sound except birdsong and the occasional rustle of something in the undergrowth. It's a proper woodland experience, the kind where you actually feel the canopy close in above you rather than just wandering through neat rows of conifers.

This is ancient woodland near Welwyn Garden City, and it shows. The floor is soft with leaf litter, which means good walking but also means wellies are sensible if there's been rain. You can easily spend two hours here if you're in no rush - longer if you're stopping to identify trees or just sitting quietly watching for deer. The paths are manageable for families with older kids, though the terrain is uneven enough that it's not a pushchair job.

It's excellent if you're staying at Church Farm Ardeley or Almshoe Glamping - both just five miles or so away - and you fancy breaking up a park holiday with proper woodland walking rather than more facilities. The wood itself is free to access, which is always welcome, though facilities are essentially non-existent. Bring a packed lunch if you're making a morning of it.

Real walkers will appreciate it more than casual strollers. History types might enjoy knowing this has been woodland for centuries. Young children will get bored once they've collected a few sticks, to be honest. But if you want to feel like you've actually escaped, even for a couple of hours, it's worth the drive from Welwyn.