Hardwick Park

The Wear Valley runs through Hardwick Park like a ribbon of proper countryside, and it's the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. This nature reserve sits just outside Stockton-on-Tees and does exactly what it says on the tin - genuine woodland and grassland with the river at its heart. The paths wind through mixed forest, and there's a decent stretch of open meadow where you might spot deer if you're quiet enough, though honestly the birds are the real draw here.

It's free to wander, which is brilliant. Most folk spend an hour or two, maybe longer if you've got binoculars and patience. Spring's when it really comes alive - bluebells thick on the ground, everything green and loud with songbirds. Summer's a bit sticky between the trees, autumn less crowded. Winter's when you can actually see across the river properly.

This works well as a morning or afternoon break from caravan life. You're close enough to Donnewell Farm and Woodside Ridge if you're based in those direction - neither's a hassle to get to from here. Walkers and bird watchers will get the most from it; it's not dramatic landscape, just genuine and well-kept. Families with young kids might find an hour's enough before restlessness kicks in, but if you've got teenagers who don't mind a proper woodland walk, they'll appreciate the lack of crowds. Bring binoculars. Wear decent boots when it's been wet.