Combe Wood

Walk into Combe Wood and you're immediately wrapped in that particular Hampshire quiet that comes from tall pines and dense undergrowth. It's a proper forest experience - the kind where you can actually lose the sound of the road within fifty metres. The woodland is mixed, with broadleaves scattered through the conifer plantations, and there's a decent network of paths that loop through without being so marked-up that you feel herded.

This is one for people who actually want to walk, not just potter about for twenty minutes. Families with younger kids might find it a bit samey after an hour - there's no open viewpoint, no water feature, nothing really to break up the green. But serious walkers will appreciate the peace, and it's genuinely good for letting dogs burn energy without faffing about on leads.

From nearby Newbury, it's only a short drive to reach the wood, making it an easy add-on to a forest-focused break. If you're staying at Hollington Park Glamping, less than five miles away, this could easily slot into a morning before heading back for a late breakfast. The admission situation is unclear from what I can find, so check ahead before you visit - it may well be free access, as many woodland areas are, but don't assume.

Go on a dry day. Mud here is legitimate mud, not just damp earth.