Upper Wood

Walk into Upper Wood and you're straight into proper Yorkshire woodland - the kind of place where the canopy gets thick enough that you forget it's mid-afternoon. It's a genuine forest rather than a manicured nature reserve, with decent footpaths winding through mixed broadleaf trees and the occasional surprise of a small stream cutting through the darker sections.

This works best for people who actually like woods. Families with young children might manage an hour or so, but there's not much in the way of facilities or viewpoints to break things up - it's a walk for its own sake. If you're the type who enjoys spotting birds, identifying trees, or just wanting some proper forest air away from the Tadcaster area, you'll get something from it. Walkers heading between the nearby glamping spots at Wighill Park or Cawood Park could easily rope this into a day out without much fuss.

There's no charge to get in, which is a bonus. The paths are fairly straightforward, though muddy sections are inevitable - proper boots are worth the bother. Depending on which route you take, you can spend anything from 45 minutes to a couple of hours in here without feeling rushed.

It's the sort of place that does what it says on the tin. Nothing flashy, no gift shop, no cafe. Just woods. Whether that appeals depends entirely on whether you're after a pleasant walk or something with more going on.