Wick Hangar

You'll find yourself under a proper cathedral of ancient oak and beech when you walk into Wick Hangar. It's a wooded valley on the Sussex-Hampshire border near Emsworth, and what makes it special is the sheer sense of being somewhere undisturbed - the kind of place where you can actually hear birds again.

The hangar itself (that's an old-fashioned word for a steep wooded slope, if you're not from around here) drops away quite dramatically, which means the walk in is straightforward enough but you'll feel it in your legs on the way back up. Most people take between 45 minutes and an hour to explore properly, depending on how often you stop to look around.

History types will appreciate that this woodland has barely changed in centuries - it's got that feeling of deep time you don't get in managed parks. Families with older kids do well here; younger ones might find it a bit samey if you're just walking. Walkers, though, genuinely love it. The paths are proper woodland paths, occasionally muddy, nothing manicured about them.

Based near Emsworth, it works well if you're staying at Bow Hill Farm or Concierge Camping. Both are within easy reach, and Wick Hangar makes a good half-day outing before heading back for a late lunch. There's no admission charge - just turn up and walk. Go on a weekday if you can; weekends pull in the Portsmouth crowd and it loses some of its peace.