Geddington Chase

Walk through 600 acres of oak and beech woodland just outside Peterborough and you'll understand why locals keep Geddington Chase to themselves. It's proper forest walking country - the kind of place where the canopy gets thick enough to block out the sky and the paths wind through bracken without another soul in sight.

The Chase itself is ancient hunting ground, and you can still sense that history as you wander the main trails. There are several waymarked routes, ranging from gentle strolls around the perimeter to longer forest walks that take a good couple of hours. The ground is soft underfoot, which is brilliant for knees but means it gets boggy after rain - come in dry weather if you want to actually enjoy it rather than spend the afternoon scraping mud off your boots.

This is walker territory pure and simple. Families with young kids might manage the shorter loops, but restless toddlers will get bored fast without a destination - there's no playground, cafe, or picnic area to speak of. Serious walkers, however, will find it genuinely restorative.

If you're based at Brightside Caravan Park or Northfield Farm - both within a few miles - Geddington Chase makes an easy morning or afternoon outing. It's free to enter and there's basic parking, though the car park fills on sunny weekends. Spring for bluebells and autumn for the light through the leaves are your best bets.