Havant Thicket

The forest floor here is thick with leaf litter and the kind of quiet you don't get in many places anymore. Havant Thicket, just inland from Emsworth, is a proper woodland walk rather than a manicured park - dense trees, muddy paths in winter, and plenty of room to actually breathe without bumping into crowds.

It's the sort of place where you can lose an hour without noticing. Dog walkers love it, families with younger kids do well on the main paths, and anyone after a bit of solitude will find it easily. The woodland itself isn't ancient or particularly famous - it won't have you rushing to take selfies - but that's rather the point. You come here to walk, listen to birds, maybe spot some local wildlife if you're lucky.

Allow a couple of hours to do it justice without rushing. There's no café or visitor centre, so bring water. Free to access, though parking details aren't always clear, so ring ahead or check locally in Emsworth before you head out.

If you're staying at Glamping at Wallops Wood or Concierge Camping nearby, this makes a solid morning or afternoon outing - nothing too ambitious, just a proper woods walk to stretch your legs between site activities. It's the kind of place that matters more in bad weather than good; autumn's genuinely lovely here when the light comes through properly.