The Weirs

The River Itchen flows through Winchester with genuine purpose here - this isn't just a pretty walk, it's a working nature reserve where the water actually matters. The Weirs sit just south of the city, a stretch of riverbank that locals properly use rather than tourists endlessly photograph.

You're looking at chalk streams, which are rarer than you'd think and home to some serious biodiversity. Kingfishers dart about if you're quiet enough. Trout glint in the shallows. The banks are lined with willows and alders rather than manicured gardens, and that roughness is rather the point - this is nature doing its job, not nature arranged for Instagram.

Walkers will get the most from The Weirs. It's a solid couple of hours if you move slowly and actually look, or a brisk 40 minutes if you're just passing through from Winchester proper. Families with young kids might find it a bit quiet - there's no playground energy here, no cafe, just water and trees. If your children prefer to run about, they'll be restless.

The reserve sits within sight of Hookpit Farm Caravan Site, which makes it a natural add-on to a longer stay in the area. There's no formal car park that I could pin down, and opening hours don't appear to be restricted, which means you can slip down at dawn if you fancy catching the wildlife properly awake. Free to access, no tickets needed - just turn up and walk the bank. It's unglamorous and utterly worth it.