Skirlaugh secure dog walking field

If you're dragging a dog around East Yorkshire and sick of the lead-yanking routine, Skirlaugh's secure field is exactly what you need. It's a proper off-lead space where your dog can actually burn off some energy without you having a heart attack every time a pheasant moves. The setup is straightforward - a fenced area that does the job, nothing fancy, but that's rather the point.

Dogs get the most out of this obviously, but so do their owners who value a bit of peace. You won't be fighting other walkers for space, and the field itself is open enough that you can see what your dog's up to at all times. Bring a tennis ball and expect to throw it fifty times. Allow half an hour to an hour depending on how knackered you want the mutt.

It's free, which is brilliant, and there's no faffing about with opening hours - it's one of those places you just turn up to. Being just outside Hull, it's well positioned if you're staying at Burton Constable Holiday Park or WoodLake Campsite nearby. Both are within a couple of miles, so it's a quick drive before heading back for tea.

Worth the detour if you've got a high-energy dog. If your spaniel is the lazy sort, you could skip it, but for border collies and working breeds, this hits the mark. It's functional rather than scenic, but sometimes that's exactly what a holiday needs.