Bartons Green Recreation Ground

The footpath into Bartons Green Recreation Ground starts unpromisingly enough - a narrow strip of mown grass between two garden fences - but within minutes you're into proper countryside, which feels like a small miracle given how close Emsworth is. This is Sussex lowland heath and woodland, the kind of place that locals clearly know well and visitors often miss entirely.

The reserve isn't going to blow your mind with dramatic scenery, but that's rather the point. It's gently rolling, with open heathland giving way to scrubby woodland and patches of gorse. In spring and early summer the wildflowers are decent, and birdwatchers will find plenty to occupy an hour or two - you'll hear more than you see, mind, which is typical for these southern reserves. The walking is easy and relatively well-marked, though the paths can get boggy after rain.

This works best for a family needing a proper leg-stretch without the effort of anything ambitious, or for people interested in lowland heath ecology rather than chocolate-box views. An hour is realistic; two hours if you're the dawdling type. Being free and accessible from Emsworth makes it a useful backup on a rainy afternoon when you've already done the seafront walk.

If you're staying at Concierge Camping nearby, it's genuinely useful - close enough for an evening wander without feeling like you're repeating yourself, and different enough from the open parkland around the site to break up the holiday rhythm.