The Queen's Inclosure

An ancient deer park that's been quietly minding its business since the 17th century, the Queen's Inclosure sits just outside Emsworth in Hampshire's New Forest area. It's one of those places that doesn't scream for attention - no visitor centre, no café, no gift shop - which is rather the point.

The walk itself is what you're after here. You get proper forest paths through dense woodland where the ground's soft underfoot and the air feels properly clean. Red deer still roam the park much as they have for centuries, though spotting them takes patience and luck. Early morning visits reward the determined. The enclosed nature of it means you're walking through genuine old-growth woodland rather than the open heathland you might find elsewhere in the New Forest.

This is best for anyone who appreciates a quiet woodland ramble over dramatic scenery. Children will cope fine if they're happy plodding along, though there's nothing here to hold their attention for hours - an hour's walk and you've seen what there is to see. History buffs get a kick from walking through a landscape that's barely changed in centuries.

Being so close to Glamping at Wallops Wood and ScottsHaven makes it ideal for a park-based holiday in the area. Pop out for a morning walk, be back for breakfast. The location between Emsworth and the deeper New Forest means you can combine it with better-known spots without much hassle. Free to access and no particular opening hours to fret about - just turn up when it suits you.