7 lovely forests near London for wholesome woodland walks

If you like your greenery with a side of the supernatural, Rendlesham Forest is the one for you. You can take the UFO Trail, which wends past sites associated with a famous unexplained light sighting in December 1980. There are also other walking routes, play areas and bike trails for exploring this dense, protected woodland. Oh, and by the way, if you get abducted and probed during your visit, we won’t be held responsible.

How to get there: The closest rail stations are Melton or Woodbridge, but you’ll have to book a taxi to complete your journey. It’s around two and a half hours by car. 

Tangham, Woodbridge IP12 3NF

Having an existential crisis? Get some perspective by visiting the ancient, gnarly oak trees on Abinger Roughs. Those wise old trunks are more than 300 years old. They also rubbed shoulders with Charles Darwin, who is known to have wandered the Roughs in the 1870s. To get up close with more veteran trees, stroll into nearby Netley Park’s 211 acres of woodland, also owned by the National Trust. 

How to get there: Catch the train from Victoria to Dorking followed by bus to the Crossways, then a short walk to the forest. That takes around one hour and 45 minutes. Or it’s one hour and 20 minutes by car. 

White Down Ln, Abinger Hammer, Dorking RH5 6QS

Stick around in Surrey to find more wooded wilderness. The pretty village of Shere (which has mega-festive romcom vibes thanks to its cameo in The Holiday) is surrounded by the kind of woodland that feels like it should be much further away from a capital city than it is. You’ll find yourself amid beech, cypress,  yew and dogwood trees, frosty in winter and buzzing with butterflies come summer. If you’re feeling adventurous, the North Downs Way runs right through the heart of the wood: east for Dover, west for Farnham. 

How to get there: The train from Clapham Junction to Guildford takes just half an hour. Then take a 16 minute train from Guildford to Gomshall. Driving there takes one hour and 20 minutes. 

Staple Lane, Guildford GU5 9TE

Famous for its carpet of bobbing bluebells each May, Micheldever Wood is also a great place to get your fix of the natural stuff. The walking routes among the ancient beech trees, home to muntjac deer (sweet-faced little creatures), are a tranquil way to spend a few hours. You may even spot some prehistoric remains along the way. And it’s all just a few miles outside the city of Winchester, if you absolutely must have a damned flat white with your nature fix.

How to get there: Take the train to Micheldever from London Waterloo, which takes just over an hour. The car journey takes one hour and 40 minutes. 

Winchester, Hampshire SO24 9UB

One-and-half thousand acres of trees on the Kent Downs, King’s Wood is big enough to let yourself get lost in. It’s dotted with sculptures crafted from natural materials, some of which are now being reclaimed by the forest. There are 200 species of flowering plant and 30 species of bird here, which apparently is unusually high for an urban woodland. Keep an eye out for the resident fallow deer. 

How to get there: This one is best reached by car – it’s just over a two hour drive.

Challock, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4DG

It’s no surprise that the Chiltern Hills is an ace place to head to when you want to swap pavements for muddy country tracks.  Try Wendover Woods for great walking and cycling trails, as well as Go Ape, orienteering and an assault course (which will open after lockdown).

How to get there: Get the direct 45 minute train from London Marylebone to Wendover or drive there in one hour and 30 minutes. 

Buckinghamshire, HP23 6ND

Hertfordshire’s only National Nature Reserve, Broxbourne Woods is around 600 acres of diverse trees. It’s just a little beyond the M25, but there are legit rural vibes to be found here: streams, meadows and paths through the woodland. Haven’t stretched yur legs in a while? The 17.5km trail is the one if you need a big, full-day dose of the outdoors.

How to get there: The train from London Liverpool Street to Broxbourne takes around half an hour. By car, it’s one hour. 

Brickendon Green, SG13 8PA