Winter Hill Road Woods

The woods around Winter Hill Road are proper Chilterns walking territory - dense beech and oak with enough elevation to give your legs a workout without being punishing. It's the kind of place where you can actually lose the sound of the A404 behind you within five minutes, which counts for something in this part of Buckinghamshire.

There's no formal car park or visitor centre here, so you're basically finding a verge spot near Marlow and heading in on foot. The paths are well-trodden enough that you won't get lost, but they're not manicured either - proper woodland walking with roots underfoot and the occasional muddy section. Walkers will find this genuinely rewarding; families with young kids might find it a bit of a slog unless they're already keen outdoors types. Give yourself two to three hours for a decent loop.

It works nicely if you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Shillingridge Glamping or SRB Moorings are both close enough that you could do a morning walk and still have time for Marlow's riverside pubs afterwards. Winter's actually the best time: the bare branches let light through and you can see further into the woodland. Summer turns it into green tunnel territory, which is lovely but claustrophobic if you're after views. The Chiltern Retreat site is a bit further out but less commercialised if that appeals.

Worth adding to an itinerary if you're in the area for a few days, though it's not the sort of place you'd travel specifically for.