Hotham Park

The wetland paths at Hotham Park wind through reed beds and open water where you'll actually spot things - herons, grebes, the occasional kingfisher if you're lucky and quiet. It's a proper nature reserve just outside Bognor Regis, the sort of place where families can burn off energy without anyone feeling rushed. The trails are flat and easy, nothing strenuous, which means even younger kids won't complain after ten minutes.

You're looking at a couple of hours here if you take it slowly and stop to watch the birds. Bring binoculars. Seriously. The water attracts migrating species depending on the season, so spring and autumn tend to be livelier than summer when everything's just sitting in the heat. Winter's quiet but atmospheric.

It's free to access and works brilliantly as a morning before hitting Butlins Bognor Regis (half a mile away) or one of the caravan sites dotted nearby like Rowan Park or Haven Church Farm Holiday Village. If you're staying at any of those parks, this takes the edge off a rainy day or gives you something low-key when the kids are park-fatigued. The coastal holiday park circuit around Bognor means you're never far from a brew and a sit-down, which helps when someone inevitably gets bored by nature after 45 minutes. Real selling point: it's genuinely free, genuinely accessible, and you don't need an all-day commitment. Pop in, walk the loop, leave refreshed.