Old Wood

Dense woodland that cuts right through the landscape near Shildon, Old Wood is the sort of place where you actually feel properly removed from things despite being minutes from the town. The canopy is thick enough that even on bright days there's a cool, dim quality to it - real forest floor stuff with decent undergrowth and the kind of quiet that makes you notice birdsong.

Walkers get the most from this one. The paths are straightforward but absorbing, and there's enough acreage to lose a good couple of hours without feeling like you're walking in circles. Kids won't get bored if they're the type to spot insects and turn over logs, though there's no playground infrastructure or visitor facilities - this is raw woodland, not a manicured country park.

Access appears to be free and unrestricted, though there's little in the way of signage or formal facilities. Go early or midweek if you prefer solitude. The ground can be boggy after rain, so decent footwear matters.

If you're staying at Eden Grange Glamping just down the road - it's barely two miles away - Old Wood makes a natural morning or afternoon walk before retreating to the pods. The Gables Pod Camping is a bit further out at five miles, but still within easy striking distance for a proper forest ramble. Neither site has Old Wood as their focus, but both work well as bases for exploring this corner of Durham.