Gill Wood

A proper woodland walk just outside York, Gill Wood is one of those places that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards you for paying attention. It's a small forest - you're not talking an all-day trek here - but the paths wind through decent tree cover and the ground underfoot is soft in the right season. Walking through in autumn is when it really shines, the canopy turning copper and gold overhead. The woodland is mixed, so you get the full range of deciduous trees rather than endless conifers, which makes a difference to the light and feel of it.

Walkers will get a solid hour or ninety minutes out of a visit, depending on how much you dawdle and which routes you take. Families with kids will find it manageable - no steep climbs to speak of - though toddlers might struggle with muddier sections after rain. It's the kind of place where you can actually hear birds rather than just the rustle of other visitors, which says something about how busy it gets.

Being close to York means Gill Wood works as a half-morning excursion if you're basing yourself at one of the local parks like Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm, five miles away. You could bundle the kids in, do a good walk, and still have the afternoon free for the city itself. It's free to access and there's nowhere official to pay - just turn up and go. Spring brings bluebells through parts of it, which is worth timing for if you can. Nothing flashy, just honest woodland.