Bradley Park

Bradley Park is a proper woodland walk just outside Alresford, the sort of place where you'll actually want to slow down instead of rushing through. The forest floor is thick with beech and oak, and if you catch it right - early morning or late afternoon - you'll have the place almost entirely to yourself.

It's best suited to walkers rather than families with pushchairs. The paths wind through dense woodland, which is lovely if you're after some peace and quiet, but there's not much in the way of open spaces or playground-type facilities. Allow a couple of hours to properly explore without feeling rushed. The forest has that Hampshire charm about it - manageable scale, well-maintained, no pretension.

Timing matters here. Spring brings wild garlic and bluebells underfoot; autumn turns the canopy into copper and gold. Winter's quietest, which some will love and others might find a bit bleak. Summer can get muggy under all that tree cover.

If you're staying at Wigwam Holidays or Hampshire Hills nearby, Bradley Park slots in nicely as a morning or afternoon activity rather than a full-day destination. It's close enough that you won't waste holiday time driving, but far enough removed from the village itself that it feels properly remote. Bring decent footwear - it can be muddy after rain - and perhaps a pair of binoculars if you're into spotting woodland birds. Free to enter, no facilities on site, so sort yourself out in Alresford first.