Hadstock Wood

The woodland around Hadstock sits quietly east of Cambridge, a proper slice of Essex forest that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards a visit all the same. Ancient trees crowd the paths here - oak and hornbeam mostly - creating a cool tunnel effect even on warm days. Walking through, you get the sense this place has been left largely to its own devices, which is exactly why it works.

It's ideal for anyone after a straightforward woodland ramble without the crowds you'd find at more famous nature reserves. Families with younger kids might find it a touch dull after thirty minutes - there's no visitor centre, no playground, just you and the trees. But walkers and anyone keen on old-growth woodland will find it genuinely absorbing. The paths are well-trodden enough to follow easily, though muddy stretches appear after rain.

There's no entrance fee that I could track down, and it appears to be freely accessible during daylight hours. Allow an hour to ninety minutes for a decent circuit depending on which paths you fancy. Spring brings bluebells in decent numbers, autumn the usual Essex golden light filtering through the canopy.

If you're staying at Hidden Gem Glamping just six miles away, Hadstock Wood makes a solid morning outing before heading back for afternoon tea. It won't blow your mind, but it's the kind of place that feels genuinely local rather than packaged for tourists - and that's increasingly rare around Cambridge.