Dod Wood

The woodland around Dod Wood near Morpeth is proper lovely if you're after a straightforward woodland walk without the fanfare. It's a small forest tucked into Northumberland's countryside - nothing dramatic, just tall trees, decent paths, and the sort of quiet you don't get near town. You'll walk through conifers mainly, with enough space between them that it doesn't feel claustrophobic. The paths are well-maintained enough for families with older kids, though muddy after rain so come prepared for that.

This is best suited to walkers after a gentle hour or so in the trees rather than an all-day expedition. It's the kind of place you do when you're based nearby at Whitton Glebe or Riverside Rothbury - both cracking caravan parks within 5 miles - and fancy a morning ramble before heading elsewhere. There's something restorative about walking through trees when everything else is so open in this part of Northumberland, even if Dod Wood won't set your pulse racing. Bring a dog if you've got one; bring kids if they're past the pushchair stage. Expect maybe 45 minutes to an hour depending on which route you take.

Nearby Forget Me Not Country Park offers more facilities if you need them, but Dod Wood itself is about simplicity - trees, air, space. No visitor centre nonsense. It won't blow your mind, but on a decent day it's exactly what you want when you're staying locally.