Runt's Wood

You'll need a decent pair of boots for Runt's Wood - the paths get properly muddy after rain, and there's no pretending otherwise. It's a modest woodland just outside Buckingham, the sort of place that doesn't announce itself but rewards a wander if you're in the area.

The walk itself takes you through mixed broadleaf forest with a few oaks that have clearly been there since your grandparents were young. In spring the bluebells do their thing; autumn brings the usual leaf-colour routine. It's pleasant enough without being spectacular - the kind of woodland that reminds you why people lived near forests in the first place, rather than why they photograph them for Instagram.

If you're staying at Embers Camping just down the road in Claydon, this is an obvious choice for a morning walk. Families with younger kids might find an hour here enough before restlessness sets in. Older walkers and those after a genuine escape from the campsite will get more from it. There's genuine quiet here, which counts for something.

It's free to access - no gates, no nonsense. Allow ninety minutes if you're treating it as a proper stroll rather than a quick stomp. Best visited in autumn when the ground's firmer and there's something to look at. Summer can feel a bit green-on-green if you're not into that sort of thing.