Lady's Wood

Thick woodland that sprawls across Hertfordshire just east of Stevenage, Lady's Wood is the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan a trip around. It's proper old-growth forest - the kind where light filters through in dusty shafts and you lose track of time within minutes of the entrance. The paths are well-trodden and manageable, threading between mature trees that have been here long enough to know what they're doing.

Walkers will find genuine value here. There's no theme park energy, no rope courses or visitor centres selling overpriced flapjacks - just woodland as it should be. You can do a quick twenty-minute amble or stretch it to an hour depending on which paths you take and how easily you get distracted by moss-covered logs and unexpected clearings. Families with kids aged six upwards tend to get the most out of it; younger children might find the sameness of trees a bit dull after half an hour.

The nearest town of Stevenage sits just west, which means you're well-positioned if you're basing yourself at either Almshoe Glamping or Jacks Hill Caravans - both within easy driving distance. A morning here works brilliantly before heading elsewhere for lunch, or as a proper destination walk if you've got the time. Free to access, no faffing about with car park fees or admission charges. Go when it's not raining if you can manage it - the paths get boggy and lose their charm rather quickly.