Graffham Down

At 813 metres, Graffham Down doesn't sound particularly high - and it isn't. But it's one of those Sussex peaks that rewards the effort with views that stretch across the South Downs and towards the Weald on a clear day. The walk up from Petworth is straightforward enough, taking you through beech woodland before opening out onto open downland where the wind tends to pick up considerably.

It's walker territory, really. Families with older kids will manage the ascent fine, though younger ones might struggle with the steep sections. The views from the top are the main event - there's not much at the summit itself, just open grassland and a sense of having properly earned the vista. Allow a couple of hours for the round trip from the nearest carpark.

Worth doing if you're staying at Graffham Camping and Caravanning Club Site or nearby Woodfire at Westerlands, as it slots neatly into a park-based holiday without requiring a drive elsewhere. Go early on weekends if you want to avoid the local running clubs and keen hikers who've clearly claimed this as their territory. The weather matters here more than most spots - on a grey day the Weald just disappears into murk, and the wind can be genuinely unpleasant. Time it right though, and it's a proper little Sussex classic that beats the overcrowded National Trust hotspots by some distance.