Forest bathing at St Ives Estate, Bingley

St Ives is the largest park in the Bradford district, 217 hectares of estate between Bingley and Harden. The Ferrand family bought it in 1635, when it was called Harden Grange, and it passed to the council in 1974. Much of it is dense woodland, with mature coppice, mixed broadleaf and conifer trees, bramble patches and open glades, so you can move from shady wood to a sunny clearing in a few minutes.

The main car park and the Ivy Kitchen café sit in the heart of the estate near Coppice Pond, which is the busiest part. Walk out into the woods from there and it soon quietens down. There are separate walking, cycling and horse routes plus an accessibility route, so check the signs and stick to the walking paths. The glades are good for birdwatching, and the estate is dog friendly as long as dogs are kept under close control.