Poutty Wood

A proper woodland walk just outside Dover, Poutty Wood offers the sort of quiet forest rambling you'd want after a few days of seaside tourism. It's not a manicured attraction with visitor centres or car parks - this is genuine woodland where you can actually hear yourself think, which counts for something in the South East.

The wood itself is manageable for families with reasonably confident walkers. The paths wind through established trees, and depending on which route you take, you're looking at anything from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Bring decent footwear though - Kent clay does its thing after rain, and it gets properly muddy. The appeal is straightforward: fresh air, green space, maybe spotting a pheasant or two if you're lucky. Children who've had enough of gift shops and ice cream will actually engage here.

Timing-wise, spring and autumn are the obvious choices - dry ground and better light. Summer can feel a bit claggy in the undergrowth, and winter's fine if you don't mind the wet. You won't need to book anything or pay an entrance fee, which means you can simply turn up from Hawthorn Farm Holiday Park or St Margaret's Bay if you're based nearby.

What Poutty Wood does well is break up a Kent coast holiday without feeling like you're doing the official tourist circuit. It's neither dramatic nor remarkable, but it's solid, accessible woodland within spitting distance of Dover. Worth the detour if you're camping locally and need a few hours off the tarmac.