Tylands Copse

You won't find Tylands Copse on many tourist maps, which is rather the point. This small woodland near Godalming is the sort of place locals know about and visitors stumble upon by accident - usually while trying to find somewhere quiet for a walk. The forest floor here is proper woodland: bracken, bluebells in spring if you time it right, and enough shade to make an afternoon genuinely cool rather than just cooler than the pavement.

It's a walker's spot rather than a destination attraction. You're not going to spend four hours here, but an hour's amble through the trees does wonders if you're based at one of the nearby glamping parks like Little Cowdray Farm or Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat. The paths aren't signposted to death, which appeals to people who actually want to use their map skills, but it does mean you can get turned around if you're not paying attention. Bring a phone with offline maps if you're not confident.

Best visited autumn through spring when you're not fighting through summer crowds and the light filters through bare branches properly. Early morning works brilliantly - fewer people, better for spotting wildlife, and you'll have the peace you came for. It's free to access, as you'd expect of a local copse, and there's no time limit. Families with young kids might find an hour enough before restlessness sets in, but if you've got teenagers who actually want to walk somewhere without complaining, this beats a car park trail every time.