Spring Wood

Tall oaks and ash trees create a proper canopy here, with well-worn paths winding through what feels like a forgotten corner of Leicestershire. Spring Wood sits quietly between Derby and the Bosworth battlefield area, offering the kind of unhurried woodland walk that clears your head without demanding hiking boots or OS maps.

Families will find it manageable for little legs, though don't expect adventure playgrounds or visitor centres - this is just honest woodland doing what woodland does best. The paths are fairly clear, and you're unlikely to get properly lost, but it's worth bringing a phone with GPS just in case you take one turn too many.

Dog walkers seem to know about this place, so expect some four-legged company on your ramble. Spring brings bluebells and wild garlic, while autumn delivers that satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot. It's free to wander, naturally, and you could easily spend an hour or two exploring without covering the same ground twice.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday spots like Bosworth Lakeside Lodges or Mallory Meadows? Spring Wood makes a lovely morning constitutional before breakfast, or an afternoon leg-stretch when the kids need to burn off some energy. Nothing earth-shattering, but sometimes that's exactly what you're after.