Tartary

The woodland at Tartary sits just outside Henley-on-Thames and feels like the kind of place locals know but tourists miss. You're walking through proper beech and oak forest - the sort where the light filters through in golden shafts and the undergrowth changes with the seasons. It's not vast, and there's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, but that's rather the point.

Walkers will get the most from it. The terrain is straightforward enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might find it a bit samey after forty minutes or so. The paths wind through without too much drama - no dramatic viewpoints or ruins to discover, just good, honest woodland. Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're moving slowly and stopping to spot birds.

It pairs nicely with a stay at one of the nearby parks. The Chilterns View and Ridgeway View Campsite are both top-rated and sit within easy reach, so you could make Tartary part of a larger morning's exploring around the Henley area. The forest works best in autumn when the beech turns, or spring when the bluebells are out. Summer can feel a touch airless.

Free to access, as far as I can tell - there's no gate or charge point. It won't blow your mind, but if you're based locally for a week and want an uncomplicated woodland walk without the crowds of bigger attractions, it does the job well enough.