When the daylight fades too soon

What with the mad hours I work and the lessening daylight hours it's getting harder and harder to stick to my idea of getting out everyday. The gloomy weather isn't helpful, either.

However, around my home town of Southampton there is some very pleasant walking to be had.

These are my woodland favourites, for between 1/2 and 1 hour of greenery, fresh air and stretching limbs cramped from long hours sitting down.

Telegraph Woods - located at Telegraph Road, West End. In any season this is a lovely place to walk on good surfaces, although these paths can still be quite muddy after rain. There is good roadside parking on laybys both on Telegraph Road and Moorshill, and access is gained from these through radar gates (disabled access gates).

The environment consists of ancient woodland and more recent pine forest. There is a small lake to be found in the northern part of the woodland, and two pleasant open areas.

Information panels at the main entrances detail a circular walk through the woods and other paths, and also a viewpoint to the south east.

As this is close to home, it's my absolute fall-back when I have very little time but I simply have to get out.

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Holly Hill Woodland - Again, a walking place for all seasons. The big attraction of this area is the series of lakes not far from the car park on Barnes Lane. There are manmade waterfalls, and wooden bridges over the narrows of the lakes where they spill into each other. The lakes are dotted with little islands of trees and shrubs.

The paths are well-laid out. However, be sure to wear suitable footwear if it has rained recently. There are paths to and around the lakes and out towards the Hamble River and Hook by Warsash nature reserve.

There is a specific car park for those with restricted mobility a little further along Barnes Lane from the main parking area, leading on to well-appointed easy access paths.

There is an information panel giving details of the history and nature of the woodland, with marked-out walks and viewpoints. The entrance from the main car park is through a charming green-painted iron holly arch with a leaf gate.

This place will take a good hour of your time and is well worth it. I have yet to see this woodland in Spring, but autumn seems to paint some of her brightest colours here.

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West Wood, Weston - Another extensive walking area also accessible to cyclists, this not only has beautiful woodland to wander in, but also an open picnic area and access out on to grassland with extensive views out over the surrounding countryside and across the Solent. There is a small lake about 200 yards into the woodland from the entrance at Weston Shore. This woodland does undulate quite a lot so is good for working the legs. The paths are well-appointed and there are steps down to the lake. It is also possible to spot fallow deer in the woods, if you are very quiet and very lucky.

Parking is on Weston shore front. There used to be a car park on the woodland side of the road but this has been blocked off. There is a narrow path that leads around the lefthand side of the blockage for access across the car park to the woodland entrance.