Bolingehill Copse

The woods around Bolingehill Copse offer proper woodland walking just a few miles south of Petersfield. It's mixed forest - beech, oak, and conifers creating that dappled shade you want on a summer afternoon. The paths are reasonably well-marked though not signposted to death, which is refreshing.

This isn't a destination that'll keep you occupied all day. An hour's walk through the trees, maybe ninety minutes if you're in no rush, and you've seen what there is to see. But that's exactly why it works. Pop over from Cedar Valley holiday park - it's less than five miles away - for a morning stroll without the rigmarole of proper visitor facilities and car parks.

It suits families with older kids who can manage uneven ground without needing entertainment every few minutes. The forest floor's soft underfoot after rain. Walkers wanting a quick circuit will find it worth the drive from town. History enthusiasts won't find much here - it's a working wood, not a heritage site.

Go early on a weekday if you want peace. Summer weekends can get busier now that people are cottaging-it in the area. The light's lovely in autumn when the beech starts turning. Winter's muddy but empty.

There's something straightforward about it - old-fashioned woodland without the visitor centre and the gift shop. If you're based at one of the nearby parks, it's an easy leg-stretch. Nothing more, nothing less.