Daffern's Wood

The woodland floor here is thick with last season's leaves, the kind that crunch satisfyingly underfoot as you pick your way between the trees. Daffern's Wood near Coventry is a proper forest walk - not a manicured country estate, but genuine woodland with character. You're walking through mixed deciduous trees, mostly, with the occasional evergreen breaking up the canopy. On a clear day the light filters through in shifting patterns. It's the sort of place where you notice things: a fallen log colonised by moss, bird calls you can't quite identify, the occasional flash of movement in the undergrowth.

The walk works best for families with school-age children and serious walkers who want something low-key. Young kids might lose interest after forty minutes or so unless they're the sort to occupy themselves turning over logs and looking for wildlife. There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of - bring what you need. The woodland is free to access, and you can wander for an hour or a leisurely afternoon depending on your route and pace. Spring transforms it, naturally, but even in winter it's worth a go if you're after a proper woodland mood rather than open views.

If you're based at Atherstone Stables Caravan Park, just six miles away, this makes an easy morning expedition before lunch. It's the kind of local spot that justifies a longer Midlands park holiday - nothing flashy, just genuine countryside on your doorstep.