Highcombe Copse

The woodland floor here is thick with pine needles and moss - proper quiet after the noise of Godalming. Highcombe Copse is a straightforward forest walk that doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't: some decent trails cutting through mixed woodland, mostly conifers with patches of beech where the light gets through.

You'll find it's a spot for people who actually want to walk rather than just stand about taking photos. The paths are easy enough, well-defined in places, muddier in others depending on rainfall. An hour gets you through the main trails without rushing. There's nothing theatrical about it - no viewpoint platform, no visitor centre - just trees and the occasional birdsong if you're lucky enough to catch it quiet.

Families with older kids will get on fine here, though younger ones might lose interest unless you make a game of spotting wildlife. Walkers appreciate the accessibility from Godalming town centre, and it's the sort of place where you can clear your head without having to book ahead or pay an entrance fee. The appeal is straightforward: it's proper woodland without the crowds you'd get at honeypot spots.

If you're staying at Little Cowdray Farm Glamping just down the road, this makes an easy morning outing before heading elsewhere. Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat is close enough too - though honestly, with that many good woods on the doorstep of both sites, you could spend days just working your way through different copses and not get bored.