Farthing Pond

The water at Farthing Pond sits perfectly still most mornings, reflecting the Sussex sky like a sheet of dark glass. It's a proper little lake just outside Battle, the sort of place locals know but visitors often miss while rushing between the abbey and the seafront.

You're looking at a freshwater pond that's become something of a wildlife hotspot. Herons work the shallows, and in winter you'll spot visiting ducks and the occasional swan. The walking is gentle - there's a reasonable circuit if you want to stretch your legs, but it's not demanding. Most people allow 45 minutes to an hour unless you're serious about birdwatching, in which case you could happily sit for longer.

It works best for those with binoculars or a camera rather than young kids after full-on excitement. Walkers love it as a quiet detour from the harder hikes around Battle town itself. The path can get muddy after rain, so proper footwear matters.

Staying at Beech Estate Campsite nearby puts you perfectly placed for this - it's genuinely close, which is handy for an evening stroll before dinner. Seven Acre Woods is further out but still accessible as part of a Sussex lakes day. Neither attracts the crowds you'd get at bigger attractions, which is rather the point.

Free to visit, naturally. Go early if wildlife matters to you - dawn and dusk are when things happen.