Little Lews

Walking into Little Lews near Wantage, you're stepping into proper woodland - oak and beech mostly, with paths that wind through the kind of quiet that makes you forget there's a town just a few miles away. It's a modest forest compared to some of the grandeurs in the Home Counties, but that's rather the point. No queues, no visitor centre, just trees and the occasional dog walker.

The paths here suit families after a straightforward ramble - nothing too taxing, nothing that demands hiking boots, though waterproof ones are sensible after rain when it gets a bit muddy underfoot. You'll get a decent hour here if you're properly exploring, maybe ninety minutes if you meander. Kids won't find it thrilling in the modern sense (no play equipment or café), but that's often exactly what tired parents need.

Worth timing it for early morning or weekday afternoons if you can - that's when the peace really stands out. Summer's lovely, though autumn when the canopy turns is when this place feels less generic. If you're staying at Lorne Hill Farm just down the road, it's an easy option to stretch your legs without overdoing it.

The area around Wantage has decent country walks dotted about, so Little Lews works nicely as one part of a bigger day out rather than a destination in itself. Straightforward woodland, no pretence, and that's rather refreshing.