Ellington Hall Covert

The woodland around Ellington Hall Covert sits tucked into the North Yorkshire landscape near Leyburn, offering a proper escape into the trees without any of the tourist machinery you'd find elsewhere. It's a forest walk rather than a manicured attraction - paths wind through mixed woodland with occasional glimpses of the hall itself, though you're mostly here for the canopy and the peace of it.

This works best for walkers who actually enjoy being in trees rather than ticking boxes. Families with older kids will get something out of it; younger ones might find it a bit samey after twenty minutes. There's no visitor centre, no cafe, no marked routes as far as I could tell - just you, the woods, and whatever wildlife decides to show itself.

Allow a couple of hours if you're the type to potter about. Go when the light's decent - autumn's particularly good here, with proper colour in the canopy. Spring's fine too if you don't mind mud.

It makes sense as part of a longer wander around the Wensleydale area rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at Eastfield Glamping Farm just down the road, this is a natural morning walk before heading elsewhere. The Leyburn area has other spots worth combining with it, so don't make this your only stop.