East Crags Wood

The woodland floor squelches under your feet after rain, and that's when East Crags Wood feels most alive. This stretch of forest sits inland from Bridlington, offering proper shelter when the North Sea wind picks up - which it often does around these parts. You're walking through mixed woodland with craggy outcrops that give the place its name, and the terrain pitches and rolls in ways that keep things interesting rather than just a flat trudge through the trees.

It's a walker's wood, frankly. The paths are decent enough, though muddy patches are par for the course. Allow an hour to ninety minutes if you're taking your time and actually looking at the gnarled trees and stone formations. Families with younger kids might find it a touch relentless underfoot, but teenagers who can handle a proper walk will enjoy the challenge. Bird watchers come here too - the woodland attracts a decent variety.

There's no visitor centre or facilities that I could find, so bring what you need. The nearest town is Bridlington, about six miles away, which gives you a beach walk as a warm-up if you fancy it. If you're staying at Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park up the road, this breaks up a week nicely - it's different enough from the park itself without eating up a full day. Go midweek if possible; weekends can attract a steady stream of walkers. Winter's actually rather good here when the mud's frozen solid and the trees are skeletal.