Horsham Park

The lake dominates Horsham Park - a proper focal point that draws you in from the moment you arrive. You can walk all the way around it, which takes a good hour if you're dawdling, less if you're just after the exercise. The paths are well-maintained and mostly flat, which counts for something when you've got kids in tow.

It's genuinely one of those places that works better than you'd expect for a town park. The woodland areas give you proper breathing space - you could almost forget Horsham's just beyond the gates. Bird watchers come here for good reason: great crested grebes, herons, and plenty of waterfowl depending on the season. Families with younger children get a decent kick out of spotting ducks and swans, though there's not much else in the way of attractions if that's all they're after.

The whole thing feels manageable in an afternoon. Most people allow two to three hours if they're combining it with a walk around town. There are benches dotted around if you want to sit and watch the water, and it's the sort of place where you can actually think.

Staying at one of the nearby campsites - Sands Farm is closest at 2.5 miles, or Raylands Country Park at 2.7 miles - gives you an easy base for exploring. Horsham itself has decent pubs and shops within walking distance, so you're not dependent on the park for entertainment. It's worth the visit if you're in Sussex, though don't expect anything flashy. That's partly the charm.