Broadwater Park has plenty to keep families with a play area, ducks to feed, a lake to walk around and waffles to try. But just across the road is The Godalming Navigation, which makes a walk here even more interesting watching the barges traverse the locks.

Angmering Park Estate is privately owned but a network of public footpaths and bridlepaths run across it, meaning the public can enjoy walking here too. Our walk circles Wepham Wood where the estate paths are really well maintained and there are plenty of bluebells in late April/early May.

The Meon River completes its journey at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, a 369 acre site of river, fen, pools, reedbed and meadows. There are eight bird hides from which to enjoy the wide variety of wildlife, and on the east side they are connected by a series of boardwalks. Tickets need to be purchased from the visior centre.

There is plenty to keep children busy here all day with an excellent play park and hands-on nature exhibits, as well as trails across the heath where you will see the park in its full glory with purple heather, silver sandy paths and wildlife-filled ponds.

The Hayling Billy Trail is a former railway track that used to bring tourists down to holiday by the sea. Nowadays the route provides a brilliantly flat multi-use path for walkers and cyclists along the entire western shore of the island.

Frensham Little Pond is less visited than its more well known big brother, Frensham Great Pond. Unlike the latter, you cannot bathe at the little pond which means wildlife thrives in the water and surrounding woods and heath.

Walk under the tallest trees in the New Forest on this easy to follow forestry trail. At the end, play in the steam, take a picnic or grab and ice-cream from the van.

Alice Holt Forest is an extremely popular location for a variety of outdoor pursuits from high ropes courses to mountain biking. For the littlest explorers, there are multiple woodland play areas and Forestry England regularly host trails here based around Julia Donaldson stories. New for 2023 is a Zog trail which is detailed in this guide.

Once a claypit for the local brickworks, this nature reserve is now a wildlife oasis with a series of little lakes and woodland alive with birds. In between Portsmouth and Southampton, and close to the M27, it is easy to access and easy to explore.