Tates's Copse

A patch of ancient woodland just outside Southampton, Tate's Copse is the sort of place that rewards a proper wander rather than a rushed visit. The forest floor is thick with leaf litter and moss, ancient oaks tower overhead, and if you time it right you'll have the place nearly to yourself. There are decent walking trails threading through, though nothing signposted or manicured - you pick your own line and discover what's here. Families with kids who actually enjoy mud and trees will get the most from it. Pushchair users should probably avoid after rain. The woodland's genuinely old, with the kind of gnarled character you only get from centuries of undisturbed growth. Spend an hour here if you're local, maybe two if you're making a proper day of exploring the New Forest area. It sits handily close to Lepe Beach Campsite and Matley Wood Campsite if you're basing yourself in the region - worth tacking onto a wider forest circuit rather than making it your sole destination. Matley Wood especially gets top marks for facilities, so combining both gives you the best of it. The real appeal here is solitude and genuine woodland rather than facilities or attractions. Come expecting to use your own navigation skills and leave expecting to smell of leaf mould. That's the whole point, really.