Runshaw Pit Wood

Runshaw Pit Wood is a proper woodland walk on the outskirts of Lathom - the kind of place locals know about but visitors often miss. It's not vast or dramatic, but the mix of mature broadleaf trees and the occasional wetland patch makes for a decent couple of hours if you're camping nearby. The paths are fairly straightforward, though it can get boggy depending on when you visit, so wellies aren't a bad idea in winter.

You won't find any facilities or visitor centres here - it's just woodland, which is exactly the point. Walkers with reasonable fitness get more from it than families with toddlers, and history buffs might appreciate that this landscape has been worked for centuries. The pit in the name references old coal extraction, though you'd not know it now.

If you're staying at The Secret Garden Glamping just down the road, it's an easy morning jaunt to stretch the legs. The walk itself takes about ninety minutes at a gentle pace, longer if you faff about photographing fungi or bird-watching. Free entry, no gates, no tariff. Best visited spring through autumn - it's less grim then, and the light through the canopy is actually quite pleasant. Summer weekday mornings are quieter than weekends. Don't expect anything Instagram-worthy, but it's solid woodland rambling without the crowds you'd get at bigger Lancashire forests.