Jack's Folly

You'll find yourself walking through proper woodland once you venture into Jack's Folly, the kind of place where the canopy gets thick enough that you lose track of time. It's a forest near Newark in Nottinghamshire - nothing vast, but real enough to feel like you've stepped away from things. The walk is straightforward; paths wind through the trees without faffing about too much.

Walkers will get the most from this. If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Eastfield Glamping or Orchard Park are within five miles - it's a cracking spot for an afternoon stretch of the legs. Kids might enjoy it for an hour or so, though there's no playground faff or obvious attractions beyond the trees themselves. Families looking for a proper walk will find it does the job; those after something more elaborate might be better off elsewhere.

The beauty of Jack's Folly is that it doesn't demand much of you. No entrance fees to negotiate, no timed tickets to worry about. Just turn up and walk. It works well as a gentle break between days at the caravan site - the kind of place where you can clear your head without planning an expedition. Time it right and you might have the paths mostly to yourself. Allow a couple of hours if you're in no rush; less if you just want to stretch your legs. Late afternoon light through the trees is worth waiting for.