Roydon Woods Nature Reserve

The woods around Brockenhurst offer proper forest walking, and Roydon Woods Nature Reserve delivers exactly that without the crowds you'd find elsewhere in the New Forest. It's a straightforward place - mixed woodland with paths that actually go somewhere, rather than looping back on themselves after five minutes.

What you get here is genuine forest floor beneath your feet, dense enough that you lose sight of the car park quickly. The trails wind through birch and oak, with enough variation to hold attention for a decent walk. It's not dramatic - no vistas, no dramatic viewpoints - but that's rather the point. If you're after a break from the manicured trails and want actual woodland rather than a nature experience designed by committee, this works well.

Best suited to walkers rather than families with small children, simply because the paths demand proper attention and there's limited entertainment value for under-tens beyond "look, a stick". Allow between one and two hours depending on your pace and which routes you take. Free access, as far as I can gather from the setup - a genuinely unfussy reserve that doesn't charge for the privilege.

If you're based at Roundhill Campsite or Hollands Wood just down the road, this is well worth the short walk. It slots nicely into a New Forest holiday where you're mixing easy forest strolls with visits to the national park itself. Go early in the day to avoid the afternoon foot traffic from Brockenhurst itself.