Collins Copse

Walking through Collins Copse feels like stepping into Surrey's quieter side. It's a proper woodland - dense, cool, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think. The trees create a natural cathedral overhead, and paths wind through without any of the manicured feel you get at bigger attractions.

This is one for walkers rather than day-trippers. There's no visitor centre, no café, no novelty factor - just forest. Families with young children might find an hour enough before restlessness sets in, but serious walkers will spend half a day here easily. The undergrowth changes with seasons, which matters if you're into that sort of thing. Spring brings bluebells in places, autumn turns everything rust and gold.

It's free to access, though I'd double-check locally as details are thin on the ground. The nearest town is Horsham, about three miles away, so you're not far from supplies or other things to do if the woodland doesn't hold your attention.

If you're camping at Care Ashore or Sussex Topiary nearby, this is worth a morning walk. It won't compete with bigger attractions, but it's authentic woodland without the crowds. Bring proper shoes - it gets muddy - and go early if you prefer solitude. Not Instagram-famous, but that's rather the point.