Stockcross Recreation Ground

The walk around Stockcross Recreation Ground is exactly what you need if you've been cooped up at Rhodeside or Cherry Bird Country Park for a few days. It's a proper slice of countryside just outside Newbury - open grassland, tree-lined paths, and enough space to let the dog off without worrying you'll lose it within five minutes.

You get a decent loop walk here, maybe forty minutes to an hour depending on how often you stop to admire the views across the fields. The ground itself is unremarkable in the way that English parks often are - no dramatic vistas or rare birds to tick off - but that's rather the point. It's the kind of place where you can actually think, where kids can burn energy without you having to book tickets three months in advance.

Walkers will appreciate it more than sightseers. If you're looking for dramatic landscapes or ruins to photograph, you'll be disappointed. But if you want a morning stroll with good paths and fresh air before heading back to camp for lunch, it delivers. The ground is accessible year-round, though it'll be muddy after rain - pack accordingly.

It works well as a complement to a wider park holiday in the area. After a couple of days at Hollington Park Glamping or Bishops Green Farm, a free walk somewhere low-key stops the trip feeling like an endless schedule of attractions. Not your main event, but a solid supporting player.