Evenley Wood Garden

You'll find yourself walking through proper woodland that's been carefully restored over decades - and it shows. Evenley Wood, just outside Bicester in Buckinghamshire, is a working nature reserve where the owners have spent years bringing back what was essentially scrubland into something genuinely worth your time. The woodland floor changes season to season, which matters if you're planning a visit. Spring brings bluebells in numbers that justify the trip alone. Summer's too warm and buggy for my money, but autumn gives you the whole wood turning colour with far fewer people about.

It's free to wander, which is the first bit of good news. Allow a couple of hours if you're the type who actually looks at trees and birds rather than just walking through them. The paths are well-maintained but muddy after rain - proper waterproofs essential. This isn't a manicured garden despite the name, and that's entirely the point. Families with young kids will manage fine, though there's nothing to actually do here except observe, which older children might find dull after an hour.

If you're camping at one of the parks nearby - Barton Hill Farm or Silverstone Woodlands are both within a few miles - Evenley Wood makes a genuinely good afternoon detour rather than a destination in itself. Pair it with a visit to nearby Bicester for lunch and you've got a solid day sorted. It's the kind of place that appeals to wildlife enthusiasts and walkers who care about where their footsteps fall, not thrill-seekers.