Woodside Park, Lymington

You're walking through woodland that actually feels like woodland - not some manicured park with twee signage every ten paces. Woodside Park is a proper nature reserve on the Isle of Wight, just outside Lymington, where the trees do the talking and the wildlife doesn't care much whether you've paid an entrance fee or not. The trails wind through mixed woodland, and on a decent day you'll spot woodland birds, maybe a fox if you're lucky, and plenty of quiet spots to just sit and breathe.

It's the sort of place that works brilliantly if you're camping nearby - and there's no shortage of sites within a few miles, from Lytton Lawn Touring Park just down the road to Shorefield Country Park if you want something larger. An hour will give you a decent walk, though you can easily stretch it to two if you're in no rush. Kids will either love it or get bored depending on their tolerance for "there's nothing to do" - it's genuinely just trees and paths, no playground, no cafe, no attraction in the modern sense.

Best visited outside school holidays when you might actually see more wildlife than humans. The woodland can be muddy underfoot after rain, so proper boots are worth the effort. It's free to access and operates on an honor system, though facilities appear minimal. If you're staying in one of the local caravan parks and want a morning walk that doesn't involve paying for anything, this does the job without fuss.