Late Sopers Wood

Late Sopers Wood sits just outside Newbury and delivers the sort of walk that feels properly away from it all without requiring an expedition. It's a mixed woodland - oak, beech, the usual Hampshire suspects - threading through a landscape that's been logged and managed for centuries. The paths are well-trodden enough to follow without faffing about with a map, though they do get a bit muddy after rain.

This is walkers' territory, not a destination for sitting on benches. Most people knock out an hour or ninety minutes here, looping through the trees and poking around the clearings. The woodland floor can be lovely in spring - bluebells, wild garlic, that sort of thing - and it's genuinely peaceful on weekday mornings. Families with older kids will manage fine; younger ones might find it a touch dull if they're expecting rides or waymarked adventure trails.

Head here as part of a walking day around north-central Hampshire rather than making it your sole stop. Pair it with a afternoon at Hollington Park Glamping's grounds if you're staying there - it's only four miles away - and you've got a solid day outdoors. There's no visitor centre or café tucked away here, so bring a flask and pack the walks accordingly.

The woodland itself is free to access. Go on a dry day if you can; it makes the whole thing considerably less squelchy underfoot.