Lynch Wood

The woodland around Lynch Wood near Wantage is the sort of place that rewards a proper wander rather than a quick tick-off. You'll find yourself moving through dense tree cover with the kind of peaceful quiet that makes you wonder why you don't do this more often. Ancient oaks and beech trees create a cathedral-like canopy, and the paths are well-trodden enough that you won't get hopelessly lost.

This works brilliantly for anyone who just wants to stretch their legs without the crowds you'd get at a Cotswolds showpiece. Families with younger children can manage an hour or so here without complaint, though the terrain isn't especially dramatic or exciting if they're after adventure. Serious woodland walkers and photographers will find genuinely lovely stuff among the older growth, particularly if you go in autumn when the light slants through the trees just right.

There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of, so bring water and decent boots. Spring and late autumn are probably your best bets - summer can be thick with insects, and winter muddy. The whole affair is free, which is rather refreshing.

If you're based at Lorne Hill Farm or Evelyns Garden Glamping just down the road, Lynch Wood is an easy morning's excursion before lunch. It's the kind of place that works better as part of a wider Berkshire ramble rather than a destination in itself, but that's precisely what makes it worthwhile.