Nature Reserve

The forest here east of Peterborough is proper woodland - the kind where you can actually lose the sound of traffic if you venture far enough in. Ancient trees, decent paths, and genuinely quiet stretches make it worth the short drive from the city. You'll find yourself walking past oak and beech, occasional clearings where light floods through, and the kind of stillness that makes you remember why you came to Cambridgeshire in the first place.

Walkers get the most out of it. There's no theme park atmosphere, no gift shop, just forest. Families with young kids will manage fine on the main paths for an hour or two, though it won't hold attention much longer than that - there's limited variation. Bird watchers and photographers can happily spend half a day here without complaint.

It's free, which helps justify the detour. Allow anything from 45 minutes for a quick amble to three hours if you're the type to sit on a fallen log and actually notice things. Spring and early autumn are best - summer brings the midges, winter can be bleak and muddy depending on rainfall.

If you're based at Ferry Meadows, which is barely two miles away, this makes an excellent morning walk before settling back at the campsite for lunch. Nene Outdoors is similarly close. It's the sort of place that fills the gap between relaxing at your caravan and driving off for a proper day out - low effort, genuinely pleasant, and you'll actually breathe properly for once.