HighField Row

There's something rather satisfying about stumbling into a proper stretch of Hampshire woodland without fanfare or ticket booths. HighField Row, just outside Waterlooville, is exactly that - a forest walk that doesn't demand much of you beyond a pair of decent boots and maybe twenty minutes to an hour depending on how far you fancy wandering.

It's the sort of place locals know and visitors stumble upon, all towering pines and dappled light filtering through the canopy. The paths are straightforward enough, well-trodden but not overly manicured. You'll see the usual woodland suspects - ferns, birdsong, the occasional muddy patch that catches you out after rain. There's no visitor centre or café, which is precisely why it works. Just trees and quiet.

Walkers will get genuine value here, particularly those staying at nearby Scotts Haven Caravaning or the five-star Glamping at Wallops Wood just five or six miles away. It's an easy morning excursion before heading to bigger attractions, or a proper stretch of the legs between campsites. Families with younger kids might find it a bit samey after half an hour unless you're the type who actually enjoys pointing out fungi and listening to woodland soundscapes.

Free to access, no visitors' infrastructure that I'm aware of, and best visited when the ground isn't waterlogged. Nothing revolutionary, but that's rather the point. Sometimes you just need trees.