Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve

This is a great little walk located near to Sworder's Auction House. Look for the sign which points you to Alsa Street, and turn in. Follow Alsa Street all the way down to the bend, when it becomes Snakes Lane, but do not follow the bend round. Instead, follow the bumpy track straight ahead. There is a footpath sign pointing down the track, but don't worry, cars are allowed. Drive down the track towards the house at the end of the track, and you'll see a little parking area outside the main gates for the reserve on your right.

Enter the reserve through the gate, and head into the reserve. There are so many routes that it's pointless me telling you where to go next - follow whichever path you like. They ask that dogs are kept under control, but no mention of staying on lead, and all the dogs I've met there have been off lead. There are rabbits and squirrels to chase, undergrowth to dive into, and plenty of sniffable plants. For the keen swimmer, there are even some large, deep ponds, although as there's no running water (At least not in the summer when I visited) they are pretty manky and smelly - you have been warned!

Wander into fields, forests, across tracks and through the meadows - there's something for everyone. While the paths are clearly defined, some of them had tall weeds and nettles growing up around close to them, so you are at risk of getting stung. This is also why I haven't ticked that it's wheelchair friendly. I'm not even sure I'd class it as pushchair friendly, but you might be okay if you found another way round, or if your child can be coaxed from the pushchair.

There are no bins here, so take your rubbish home with you at the end of the day. When I visited, someone had thrown a black bag over one of the fence posts, but it didn't seem to be a permanent fixture. There's also no toilets, and while there is a nice bench made from a fallen tree, there isn't really a picnic area per se. Hop back in your car and head down to Stansted village (Not the airport which stole its name!) which is about two minutes down the main road, where there are plenty of nice places to eat.