Court Recreation Ground

Court Recreation Ground sits just outside Chessington and feels like the kind of place locals have known about for years while most visitors sail past on the way to somewhere else. It's a proper nature reserve - grassland and woodland rather than manicured gardens - where you'll see butterflies, birds, and the occasional deer if you're lucky enough. The paths are easy enough for a family stroll, though it's muddy after rain, so come prepared.

Walkers get the most from this one. The trails wind through mixed woodland and open meadow, and there's a genuine sense of being away from Surrey's usual commuter-belt bustle. Kids will enjoy spotting wildlife and climbing about the rougher bits, though it's not going to captivate them for hours - call it an hour, ninety minutes tops unless you're serious about bird watching.

No entry fee that I'm aware of, and no set opening hours suggests you can wander through dawn to dusk. Pair it with one of the nearby parks - Merrywood Park and Surrey Hills Park both rate well and are within five or six miles, so you could make a morning of the reserve and afternoon at a caravan site with proper facilities.

It's the kind of place worth knowing about if you're staying in the area, though I wouldn't drive forty minutes out of your way for it alone. Part of a bigger day out, though, it works perfectly. Bring wellies.