Orange Grove

The woodland around Orange Grove near Emsworth is proper walking territory - dense, mature trees that give you that sense of being properly away from it all without having to drive more than twenty minutes from the coast. It's a mixed forest with enough variety to keep things interesting for a couple of hours, though it's not the sort of place that justifies a whole day trip on its own.

Walkers will get the most from it. The terrain is straightforward enough for families with older kids, but younger children might find the shaded paths a bit samey after the first hour. There are decent circular routes you can piece together, and the canopy cover means it's genuinely pleasant even on warmer days - unusual for Sussex woodland, which can feel cramped.

The reality is it works best as part of a wider ramble rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at Bow Hill Farm, the nearby caravan site just four miles away, you could easily combine this with a walk along the Solent Way or a poke around Emsworth harbour. The village itself has decent pubs and a proper feel about it.

There's nothing fancy here - no visitor centre, no facilities that I could find, just the woods themselves. It's free, naturally, and you can turn up any time. Best visited in autumn when the paths dry out properly, though spring works fine if you don't mind mud. Go if you're in the area and want a solid woodland walk. Skip it if you're after something with more of a wow factor.