Parsonsgreen Wood

The woodland around Parsonsgreen feels properly old - ancient beech and oak that's been here far longer than Hitchin's market square. You're walking under canopy that filters the light into something almost green-tinted, the ground soft with decades of leaf litter. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, which counts for something these days.

There's no visitor centre or cafe, which is either brilliant or a pain depending on your mood. Walkers will get the most from Parsonsgreen - the paths wind through decent woodland and it's close enough to Hitchin that you could combine it with a proper town day. A couple of hours here is realistic; it's not sprawling, but it's worth the detour if you're after quiet rather than spectacle. Kids will manage a walk if they're the type who like turning over logs and spotting things rather than needing signposted attractions.

If you're staying at Jacks Hill Caravans just down the road - and it's rated well, so worth considering - you're basically on the doorstep. Even Baldock Park Homes isn't far enough away to make a visit awkward. The wood works best in autumn when the colours are actually there to see, or in spring when the floor's alive with bluebells. Summer's thick and a bit muggy under the trees.

Free to access, as far as anyone can tell. Leave the park, head out for an hour or so, come back. Simple.