Cademan Wood

A dense woodland tucked into the Derbyshire landscape not far from Derby, Cademan Wood is one of those places that rewards a proper wander rather than a quick pit stop. The trees here are genuinely tall - enough to make you crane your neck - and the ground cover shifts between muddy tracks and firmer forest floor depending on recent rainfall. It's a walker's wood rather than a sightseeing destination, the kind where you turn up with proper boots and a map because there's no visitor centre or marked routes that'll hold your hand.

Walkers will get the most from this. The paths wind through decent woodland, and on a quiet weekday you might not see another soul, which is rather the point. Families with young kids might find it a bit samey after half an hour unless they're into spotting birds or just mucking about in nature. If you're camping nearby at Field of Dreams Glamping, it's an easy addition to your itinerary - twenty minutes or so from the site, and you could happily spend two to three hours poking about without feeling rushed.

Go when the ground's relatively dry if you can manage it. Autumn's particularly good here when the leaf litter's deep and the light filters through nicely. There's no charge to visit, and no facilities worth mentioning, so bring water and be prepared for it to be exactly what it is - a wood, nothing more, nothing less. Honest and unpretentious.