Glen Gardens

The Yorkshire coast gets all the attention, but Glen Gardens offers something quieter - a proper nature reserve where you can actually hear yourself think. It's tucked away in North Yorkshire, a manageable walk from the caravan parks that cluster around Filey and Reighton Sands, so it works well if you're basing yourself at Centenary Way or Haven Primrose Valley.

What you get is woodland, open grassland, and the sort of peace that feels increasingly rare. This isn't a formal gardens situation with manicured beds and tea rooms. It's wilder than that - the kind of place where you might spot woodland birds or stumble across a patch of wildflowers depending on the season. The layout invites proper exploration rather than a quick loop.

Walkers come away satisfied here. Families with kids old enough to enjoy a ramble without constant entertainment will do fine too. The younger ones might lose interest after an hour if they're expecting swings and ice cream vans. Spring and early summer are best - everything's actually growing rather than looking dormant.

Admission appears to be free, which is the right price for somewhere this low-key. You'll want to allow a good couple of hours to do it justice, more if you're actually trying to spot wildlife. It's the sort of stop that breaks up a park holiday nicely - close enough to Haven Blue Dolphin or Reighton Sands that it doesn't require a major excursion, but far enough removed from the holiday park buzz that it genuinely feels like an escape.