Broom Copse

The woodland around Broom Copse is exactly what you need when the Wiltshire chalk downland gets a bit samey. It's a proper forest walk - mature beech and oak, the ground soft with leaf litter, light filtering through in that way that makes you feel several miles from anywhere even though Marlborough is just down the road.

This is woodland walking territory, plain and simple. You're not coming for views or a destination; you're coming for the walk itself. The canopy does most of the talking. It's brilliant for families who can handle uneven ground and don't need an interpretive centre at the end of it - kids genuinely like being in actual forest, away from paths marked with little plaques. Walkers tackling the Ridgeway or using it as a base will find it a natural add-on, and if you're the type who collects fungi photos or wants to identify trees, you'll lose hours here.

Allow two hours for a proper mooch. There's no charge as far as I can tell - it's just woodland you can access. Timing-wise, autumn is gorgeous (obvious, but true), and spring when the floor's carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic works too. Summer can feel a bit enclosed and buggy.

Staying nearby at Ridgeway Campsite or Hillview Park gives you the infrastructure without losing the countryside feel. Both are close enough that you could do Broom Copse in the morning before heading elsewhere, or as a quiet afternoon slot when you need a break from more structured activities.