Thurlby Top Wood

A proper woodland walk without the crowds - that's Thurlby Top Wood in a nutshell. This forest sits just outside Newark and delivers what you'd hope from a Lincolnshire wood: decent tree cover, a network of paths that don't feel overcrowded, and the kind of quiet you actually can't get in town.

The main draw is straightforward. You're walking through mixed woodland with enough paths to choose your own route, whether that's a quick twenty-minute loop or a more ambitious couple of hours. The trees do what trees do best - create shade, smell like soil and bark, muffle the noise from the world outside. It's not dramatic scenery, but it works. Kids find enough sticks and natural playground potential to keep them occupied, though it's not the sort of place with rope bridges or sculpture trails.

Walkers will find it genuinely pleasant, especially if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Spire View Meadow or Four Seasons Country Park - both just a short drive away. It's the kind of spot you'd pair with a morning visit to Newark itself rather than spend all day there.

Bring proper footwear. The paths can get muddy after rain, and the woodland floor won't always be forgiving. Spring and autumn are your best bets - summer brings the flies, winter can be bleak.

Free access, no facilities that I'm aware of, so come prepared. A solid option if you want a woodland break without faffing about.