New Plantation

A proper working forest just outside Cambridge, New Plantation is the kind of place where you can actually see what forestry looks like in practice rather than wander round a manicured nature reserve. The trees are here because someone planted them for timber, which somehow makes the whole thing feel more honest than some of the prettier woodland you'll find scattered across East Anglia.

Walking through feels different depending on the season. Spring brings that greenish haze you only get in new growth. Summer can be dense and a bit claustrophobic if you're not expecting it. Autumn is when it properly comes alive - the light changes completely through the canopy and you start understanding why people bang on about woodland walks.

This works best for adults who actually want to walk rather than just shuffle round a car park and call it an outing. Children might find it a bit samey unless you're into the whole foraging and nature-spotting thing. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no signposted routes with interpretive boards - you're just in a forest with trees.

If you're based at HappenOak Treehouse nearby, the irony isn't lost on you - you're staying in the trees and then going to walk through more trees. But it's a solid half-day activity if Cambridge itself has worn you down. Allow two or three hours depending on your pace and how lost you're prepared to get. No fees that I'm aware of, though that's worth confirming before you head out.