Crowhurst Wood

The woodland floor at Crowhurst is thick with leaf litter and moss - proper Sussex forest floor, the kind that springs under your feet as you walk. This is ancient woodland on the edge of Battle, a place where the trees have had centuries to establish themselves, and it shows in the girth of the oaks and the density of the canopy overhead.

It's a straightforward woodland walk, ideal for families who want something less structured than a formal park trail but more substantial than a quick stroll round the village. Children tend to love the freedom of roaming between trees, scrambling over fallen logs, and hunting for woodland creatures - though don't expect it to be tame or manicured. This is working forest in places, and that's rather the point. A couple of hours here leaves you genuinely tired, which counts for something with kids.

The nearest town is Battle itself, famous for the 1066 battle, so you're well placed for a day combining history with nature. If you're basing yourself at Beech Estate Campsite just down the road, Crowhurst Wood becomes an easy morning or afternoon venture. Seven Acre Woods and The Original Hut Company are also within a few miles, so you could easily string together a forest-focused holiday without shifting camp.

No idea about opening times or admission costs - it reads like the kind of place you simply arrive at and walk in, which is how woodland should be. Bring proper footwear and don't expect facilities. Just woodland, quiet, and the sound of whatever wildlife is moving through the trees.