Greathouse Wood

A proper woodland walk rather than a manicured attraction - Greathouse Wood delivers exactly what it promises if you're after something real. Set near Wallingford in West Berkshire, this is mixed deciduous forest where you can actually lose yourself for a couple of hours without bumping into crowds or paying an entrance fee.

The woodland itself is unremarkable in the Instagram sense. No dramatic vistas, no ruined castles, no tea rooms. What you get instead are decent footpaths that wind through mature oak and beech, the kind of place where your kids can actually run ahead without you panicking. Spring brings proper carpets of bluebells. Autumn's cracking for colour. Winter feels properly quiet - that's when locals tend to come.

This works best for families who want to tire the children out or walkers looking for a straightforward woodland ramble without the tourist theatre. Allow two to three hours depending on which paths you take. There's no obvious trail map, so check online forums before you go - locals are better guides than any official route.

It fits neatly into a broader week around Wallingford and the Thames Valley caravan parks - Rolling Fields Glamping and Cherry Bird Country Park are close enough to make this a decent morning outing. Don't expect facilities. Bring your own water. It's the sort of place that rewards low expectations and rewards them well.