Cowley Row

Cowley Row is a proper woodland walk just outside Thatcham, the sort of place that locals know about and visitors keep missing. The forest floor here is thick with leaf litter, and the trees - mostly beech and oak - are tall enough that you lose sight of the surrounding countryside almost immediately. It's genuinely peaceful, which is rarer than you'd think this close to Berkshire's busier areas.

You're really here for the walk itself rather than a specific destination. The paths are generally well-trodden and manageable for families with older kids, though it gets muddy after rain - bring proper boots. Allow an hour or so for a decent circuit, longer if you're the type to stop and listen to the birds. Spring's when it shines, with bluebells carpeting the undergrowth, though autumn's equally good for that golden light filtering through the canopy.

There's no visitor centre or facilities that I'm aware of, so come prepared. Parking can be tight on weekends. It's the kind of place that works brilliantly if you're based at Lorne Hill Farm nearby - a proper breather between other activities rather than a destination in itself. Not dramatic or Instagram-worthy, but exactly what you want from a woodland escape when you're after some fresh air and actual quiet.