Blakers Park

A proper Sussex woodland sits just inland from Brighton, where Blakers Park gives you that rare thing - actual peace without the seaside crowds. The reserve is mostly beech and oak, with paths that wind through enough green to make you forget the city's only a few miles south. You'll spot birds, the occasional deer if you're lucky, and in spring the floor carpets itself in bluebells. It's straightforward walking territory, nothing too demanding, though the ground can be boggy after rain so decent boots help.

History types will appreciate that this is old woodland - properly old, the kind that's been here for centuries. You get a real sense of that age walking under the canopy. Families with younger kids will manage fine on the main paths, though there's not much in the way of facilities or interpretation boards, so it's best treated as a walk rather than a destination with activities. The reserve doesn't demand hours - a solid hour covers most of what's worth seeing, though you can easily stretch it to two if you meander.

If you're based at Southdown Way or Foot of the Downs caravan parks nearby, Blakers Park is exactly the kind of morning walk that justifies a holiday in the area. It's free to access and works as a proper counterpoint to the beach-and-pier routine. Go early if you want solitude, or late afternoon for better light through the trees.