Doghills Wood

The woodland floor here is thick with moss and fallen leaves, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think. Doghills Wood sits just outside Penrith and offers a proper woodland walk without the crowds you'd find at some of the Lake District's more famous spots. It's a straightforward ramble through mixed woodland - nothing dramatic, but genuinely peaceful. The trees give good shelter, which matters in Cumbria where the weather can turn on a sixpence. You're looking at an hour or so if you take it steady, longer if you're stopping to look at the wildlife.

Families with younger kids will manage fine here; the paths are reasonable underfoot and there's nothing too steep to put them off. Older walkers appreciate it as a gentle interlude between the bigger expeditions. The woodland's best in spring when the forest floor comes alive, and in autumn when the light filters through differently. Summer's perfectly pleasant too, just busier.

If you're staying at Beckses Caravan Park five miles away, this makes an easy morning outing before heading off elsewhere. It's not going to be the highlight of a Lake District trip, but it's a proper bit of woodland walking without needing to trek to somewhere more celebrated. Free to wander, no facilities to speak of, so come prepared. The main thing is managing expectations - this is quiet woodland, not dramatic fell walking.