Budgen Wood

The New Forest floor changes completely once you slip into Budgen Wood. You're suddenly in proper beech and oak territory, where the canopy gets thick enough that even on bright days you're walking in dappled green light. It's a working woodland - you'll see evidence of management, fallen logs left to rot, occasional clearings - which somehow makes it feel more real than the manicured bits of the forest.

This isn't a dramatic viewpoint or a landmark with a car park. It's a walk through deep woodland from Fritham, maybe three to four miles depending on your route, and that's the whole appeal. Families with reasonably energetic kids will manage it fine. History enthusiasts should know this bit of the New Forest has been managed for centuries - there's proper forestry heritage here, though don't expect interpretation boards. Walkers after genuine quiet will love it.

The main thing is getting to Fritham first. It's a small village on the New Forest's edge, about 4.7 miles from the busier bits of the National Park itself. Longbeech and Ocknell campsites are virtually on your doorstep if you're based locally - under two miles away - which makes this a natural half-day walk from a camping trip. Green Hill Farm is a bit further out but still reasonable for accessing these woods.

Go in autumn when the beech trees turn and the forest floor smells like proper woodland. Spring works too. Summer can feel claustrophobic under all that leaf cover. Allow a good three hours if you want to actually absorb the place rather than just march through it.