Little Allens

Walking into Little Allens is like slipping into a quiet corner that most people driving through Berkshire completely miss. It's a small woodland block near Hungerford - nothing flashy, just proper forest with beech and oak, the kind of place where you actually hear birdsong instead of the A4.

The real appeal here is simplicity. There are a few woodland paths that take you through the canopy without any faffing about - no visitor centre, no charges, no crowds fighting over Instagram angles. You'll spot bluebells if you time it right in spring, and the whole thing has that undisturbed feel that's increasingly rare in the South East. It's the sort of wood where kids can actually run without minding the off-lead dogs every two metres.

Walkers will get the most from this spot. You're looking at anything from a gentle twenty-minute loop to a proper hour-long ramble depending on which paths you fancy. It won't blow your mind on its own - it's too modest for that - but as part of a broader day out in the area it works a treat. Pair it with a walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal, which isn't far away, and you've got yourself a proper countryside afternoon.

If you're based at Lorne Hill Farm, just up the road, this is an easy morning option that won't feel like you're dragging the family somewhere tourist-trap. Go early if you want any peace.