Inwood Copse

A proper woodland walk rather than a destination in itself, Inwood Copse sits just outside Alresford and delivers exactly what you'd want from Hampshire's quieter forests - dappled shade, old paths that criss-cross the canopy, and the kind of peace you can actually hear. The trees are mature and well-established, the sort that make you wonder how many centuries they've been standing there. It's free to access and works brilliantly as a half-hour break if you're camping nearby or exploring the area properly. Families with young kids will find it manageable enough - nothing too steep or treacherous - though it's not a destination to spend hours in unless you're genuinely into woodland botany or bird-watching. The appeal is straightforward: slip in, breathe the forest air, let the kids burn some energy off the paths, then head back to base. It pairs naturally with stays at Woodlands Camping, which sits less than two miles away and offers a proper woodland camping experience itself. If you're based at Hampshire Hills four miles south, you could easily bundle it into a morning's exploration alongside whatever else the area throws up. The walk takes what - twenty minutes if you meander, ten if you're keen. Go early to dodge anyone else and catch the light filtering through properly. Not spectacular, but genuine and unhurried.