Great Heron Wood

The woodland floor at Great Heron Wood is properly spongy underfoot - the kind of terrain that makes you feel like you're walking through an actual forest rather than a manicured park. Located near Tenterden in Kent, this is the sort of place where you can lose an hour without noticing, following whatever path catches your eye through mature trees and dappled light.

It's woodland in the truest sense: no themed attractions, no cafes, just trees doing what trees do. Walkers and families with older kids will get genuine value here. Young children might manage thirty minutes before asking if there's anything else to do, so manage expectations accordingly. The paths are reasonably well-trodden, though you'll want proper footwear after rain.

What makes it work for a camping holiday is the proximity to Wheatfields and Wildside, both within five miles - you can base yourself at one of those glamping setups and have proper forest walks without driving far. Wood View Farm Glamping and Longberry Farm offer exclusive options if you want something quieter. The real appeal of Great Heron Wood is exactly that it doesn't try to be anything fancy. No entrance fees, no visitor centre, no overwrought signage. Just woodland.

Go in autumn when the light is best and the ground's dry. Spring's decent too. Summer can feel a bit claustrophobic under full leaf cover, and winter muddy unless it's been dry for days. Allow a couple of hours if you're actually exploring rather than just power-walking through.