Fern Copse

You'll find yourself in a proper woodland walk the moment you leave the car near Faringdon - Fern Copse is one of those intimate forest spots that rewards a slow amble rather than a rushed visit. The trees are thick enough to muffle the outside world, and in spring the ferns unfurl in dense clusters across the forest floor, which is where it gets its name. It's not a manicured nature reserve with info boards and marked trails, just genuine woodland where you can actually hear yourself think.

This works best for walkers and anyone after a bit of quiet. Parents with young kids might find it decent for an hour or so - there's space to run around, fallen logs to clamber over, and enough undergrowth to feel like a proper adventure. History buffs won't find much tangible to look at, though the woodland itself has that timeless quality. Bring wellies if there's been rain; it gets boggy in patches.

Allow an hour or two depending on how much you want to potter. There's no visitor centre, no café, so come prepared. It's free, obviously - you're just walking through woodland. The real draw is that it feels genuinely wild and untouched, which is rarer than you'd think. If you're based at Great Farm nearby, it's a natural addition to a park holiday - close enough for a morning stroll before heading to busier attractions, far enough away to feel like proper escapism.