Ardingly Reservoir Walking Trail

The walk around Ardingly Reservoir is a proper Sussex circuit - about 3 miles of lakeside path that takes you past water meadows, woodland edges, and the occasional heron if you're lucky. You're following the shoreline of a working water supply, so it feels less manicured than some reservoir walks, which is rather nice. The trail itself is straightforward enough for families with older kids, though the terrain can get boggy after rain and parts of the southern shore are genuinely steep in patches.

This isn't a destination that'll keep you occupied for a full day unless you're the sort who stops every five minutes with binoculars. Allow a couple of hours for a leisurely circuit, longer if you're serious about birdwatching - the reservoir attracts grebes, cormorants, and the occasional rarer visitor. The north side is the easier going; the south feels wilder and more wooded. It's free to walk and there are car parks at the access points near East Grinstead.

For a camping holiday in the area, this works brilliantly as a morning outing before heading to somewhere with more going on. Hook Farm Campsite is barely 2.5 miles away, so you could do the walk and be back for lunch without any faffing about. Worth Forest Glamping is similarly close if you want something slightly posher. The walk is best in spring when the birds are active, or autumn when the light turns golden across the water. Dead of winter gets pretty grey and damp.