Clover Copse

The woodland around Clover Copse, just inland from Weymouth, feels properly removed from the seaside bustle even though you're only a few miles from the town centre. It's a modest forest patch rather than a vast expanse, so don't expect to lose yourself for a full day - but that's rather the point. The trees are dense enough to offer real shade on warm days, and there's something quietly restorative about walking amongst conifers and broadleaf growth when the coast gets crowded.

Walkers will find this worth a detour between beach days, especially families who've had enough of the sand. Kids won't complain about an hour or so picking through the paths - there's enough variation in the canopy and underfoot terrain to keep things interesting without it being exhausting. The routes are straightforward enough that you won't need any specialist navigation.

You're close enough to base yourself at Chesil Beach Lodge Park, which has decent reviews, or East Fleet Farm if you're after a touring site. Either location means Clover Copse becomes an easy morning or late afternoon addition to a Dorset coast break, rather than a destination in itself.

Bring decent shoes - the ground gets boggy after rain - and check locally about current access before you go. The Weymouth area offers plenty to fill a week, so this works best as an interlude rather than a main event.