Drayton Park

Drayton Park is a proper nature reserve just inland from Hayling Island, the sort of place that rewards a slow morning walk rather than a quick tick-off. You're looking at woodland and wetland habitats where the birds do most of the talking - winter brings visiting wildfowl, while spring gets the resident songbirds going. There's real birdwatching potential here if you've got binoculars and patience.

The walks are gentle enough for families, though young kids might lose interest if they're not keen on standing still and looking at trees. It's more for the naturalist types, people who actually want to spot something rather than just be outdoors. The paths wind through different habitats, and you do get a sense that you're somewhere genuinely wild, even though it's only a few miles from the holiday parks clustered around Hayling Island.

If you're staying at somewhere like Mill Rythe Coastal Village or Fishery Creek Touring Park, this makes a solid half-day outing - close enough for an easy drive, different enough from the beach to break up the week. Go when the light's good, ideally early morning before other visitors show up. It's free access, no facilities that I could find, so bring water if you're planning more than an hour.

Worthy of a visit if you're the type who gets excited about spotting a Great Crested Grebe. Less so if your idea of nature is a manicured country park with a gift shop.