Great Wichelo Shaw

The woodland walk through Great Wichelo Shaw, just outside Wallingford, is a proper tonic if you're staying at one of the nearby parks and need to stretch your legs without driving anywhere. It's a straightforward forest roam - ancient oaks and beech trees, soft ground underfoot, the kind of place where you actually hear birds rather than traffic. Most people knock it out in under an hour, which makes it ideal if the weather's decent but you can't commit to a full day's hiking.

Walkers will find it more rewarding than casual strollers. The paths wind through genuine woodland rather than manicured park lanes, and there's something satisfying about the real forest floor. Families with younger kids might lose them after forty minutes, though if they're the type to spot insects and climb fallen logs, you'll get decent mileage. Dog owners will love it - there's space to let them off and nobody's particularly fussy about leads.

The nearest town, Wallingford, sits just a couple of miles south, which means you can combine this with a proper visit to town if you fancy something with more purpose. If you're camping at Ridgeway View or Bridge Villa, this is on your doorstep. Roll out of the tent, grab a coffee, walk the woods, back for lunch. No entry fees or complicated opening hours to worry about - it's the kind of place you just turn up to.