Ashdown Forest

Six thousand acres of open heathland and woodland rolling across the Sussex-Surrey border - Ashdown Forest is less manicured than you might expect, which is precisely why it works. The landscape shifts constantly as you walk: purple heather giving way to birch groves, then suddenly you're on high ground looking across the Weald for miles. It's the sort of place where you can wander off path without anyone minding.

The forest sits just four miles from East Grinstead, making it easy enough to reach from Hook Farm Campsite or Wild Boar Wood Campsite if you're basing yourself round here. Most people come to walk - there are proper trails marked out, but equally you can just pick a direction and see where you end up. On a clear day the views from the higher ridges are genuinely worth the effort. Children tend to love it because there's space to run around and the terrain is varied enough to hold attention for a few hours.

Walkers should allow at least two to three hours for anything meaningful, though you could easily spend a full day here. Spring brings bluebells in the wooded sections, autumn turns the heather spectacular. It's free to access and there's no gatekeeping - you just turn up and walk. Given the proximity to those excellent campsites, it slots perfectly into a Sussex park holiday as the main outdoor activity. Bring decent boots though - after rain it gets muddy underfoot and the paths can be squelchy.