The Butts

Just outside Alton, The Butts is a small nature reserve that punches above its weight if you're willing to look properly. It's woodland, mostly - the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, which feels rarer than it should. Walking through, you'll spot the usual Hampshire woodland inhabitants: nuthatches, woodpeckers if you're lucky, the odd deer if conditions are right. The Butts sits along a chalk stream valley, which means the geology geeks among you will find it interesting, and families with primary-school-aged kids will have a decent wander without getting bored halfway through. The paths are straightforward enough, nothing technical, though they can be muddy after rain - proper English woodland conditions.

It's not a destination that'll eat up a whole day. An hour's walk round works well, maybe ninety minutes if you're stopping to look at birds or trying to identify woodland plants. Free to visit, as far as anyone can tell - there's no gate, no visitor centre, just a quiet corner of Hampshire that most people drive past. If you're staying at Hampshire Hills up the road (that lovely glamping spot with the five-star reviews), The Butts makes a good morning before breakfast, or an afternoon leg-stretch when the weather's decent. Go in spring for the birdsong; summer for a shaded wander when the car park at Alton gets rammed. Winter's honestly fine too, just take proper boots.