Forest bathing at Toys Hill

Toys Hill rises to 235 metres on the Greensand Ridge, and the National Trust looks after more than 200 acres of woodland here, with patches of lowland heath on sandy soil. The hill was known for its old beech pollards, but the Great Storm of 1987 brought most of them down. The woods have regrown with sessile oak, beech and birch, and the fallen timber left behind now feeds fungi and insects. Parts of neighbouring Scords Wood were left alone after the storm so that natural regrowth could be studied. Octavia Hill, one of the Trust's founders, lived nearby and drew inspiration from this hill.

The free car park is next to the Fox & Hounds pub, and paths fan out into the woods from there. A waymarked route from the car park is suitable for wheelchairs and buggies; the other paths are uneven and steep in places, so wear proper footwear. The 2.5-mile circular walk to Emmetts Garden is a good length for a slow morning, and the longer Octavia Hill trail goes further along the ridge. Look out for the old water tower, now a bat roost.