Lee Wood

The moment you step into Lee Wood, you're swallowed by proper old-growth forest - the kind where the canopy gets so thick that lunchtime feels like late afternoon. It's beech and oak mostly, with a floor soft enough to muffle your footsteps entirely. There's a network of walking trails threading through, some gentle, others with actual climbs that'll get your heart going.

This is walker territory, full stop. If you're the type who enjoys a couple of hours rambling without crowds, you'll find it absorbing. The forest has that hushed quality that makes you want to move slowly, look up properly, maybe spot the odd woodland bird. Kids can manage it too, though they'll need to be reasonably engaged - it's not a playground, there's no cafe, just woodland.

The nearest town is Buckingham, a few miles north, which anchors you geographically. Lee Wood works brilliantly as a half-day outing if you're basing yourself at somewhere like Embers Camping in Claydon, just down the road. Pop in for a bracing walk in the morning, then grab a pub lunch back towards town.

Timing-wise, allow a couple of hours minimum. Spring and autumn are genuinely lovely here - the light changes beautifully through the trees. Winter works too if you don't mind the mud and bare branches. Summer can feel a bit airless under all that green, if I'm honest.