Gundymoor Wood.

Walk into Gundymoor Wood and you're immediately surrounded by proper ancient woodland - the kind of place where sunlight filters through a canopy so thick it's almost twilight even at midday. It's a straightforward forest, nothing fancy, but that's rather the point. There are paths threading through beech and oak, enough room to wander without feeling hemmed in, and the quiet is genuinely restorative.

The woodland sits just outside Emsworth, making it ideal for a half-morning or afternoon ramble if you're staying in the area. There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of - no facilities seem to mean no crowds either, which is refreshing. Families with older kids will find it decent for letting them loose among the trees; younger ones might get bored if you're just walking without a specific destination. The real draw is solitude and the chance to breathe properly away from the coast.

If you're based at Glamping at Wallops Wood, only 6.5 miles away, you've got easy access to proper forest without having to drive far. It works well as a morning outing before heading to the beaches or smaller attractions nearby. Allow 45 minutes to an hour depending on how much you want to potter about. The paths are manageable year-round, though winter brings mud - bring decent boots. There's parking somewhere nearby, though exact details aren't readily available online, so arriving early beats the guessing game.