Foxholes Nature Reserve

The woodland around Foxholes is proper Cotswolds - dense beech and oak with a floor thick enough to muffle your footsteps. It's a nature reserve run by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, which means it's been left well alone to do its thing. You're looking at a few miles of walking through mixed woodland with the occasional clearing where the light breaks through properly.

What you'll actually see depends on the season. Spring brings bluebells in decent numbers, summer offers shade and birdsong, autumn turns the canopy copper and gold. There's genuine forest feel here without the scrambling you get at some woods - paths are manageable and easy to follow. It's free to roam and a solid spot if you're camping at Chipping Norton Camping and Caravanning Club Site just down the road, or staying at one of the pricier lodges like Bluewood Lodges a mile or so away.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's not dramatic - no viewpoints or dramatic drops - but it rewards you for putting in the steps. Families with young kids might find it a bit samey after forty minutes; there's no playground or water feature to break things up. Allow an hour or two depending on how thorough you want to be.

Best visited when it's not dripping wet - the paths can get properly muddy after rain. It won't be the highlight of your Cotswolds break, but if you're based nearby and want a morning walk without the crowds of Symonds Yat or Symonds Yat, this does the job quietly and without fuss.