National Trust - Sheffield Park & Garden

Four lakes connected by a series of cascades - that's the heart of Sheffield Park, and it's genuinely one of the most satisfying walks you'll do in Sussex. The whole place was laid out in the 1700s by Capability Brown, so the landscape has that sense of being both entirely natural and completely artificial at the same time. You wander between water features, past specimen trees planted centuries ago, and the rhododendrons are absolutely rampant in spring - whole hillsides just explode in pink and purple.

It's brilliant for walkers who aren't after anything too strenuous. The main circuit takes a couple of hours at a comfortable pace, and the paths are mostly well-maintained, though muddy stretches are part of the game depending on weather. History types will appreciate the restoration work the National Trust has done - there's genuine effort gone into bringing Brown's original vision back. Families with kids will find enough space to run about, though under-fives might struggle with the length unless you're doing just the lower lake section.

Allow three hours if you're doing the full loop properly. The best time is honestly May through September when everything's actually growing and the water reflections are decent. Wild Boar Wood Campsite is barely two miles down the road, which makes it a natural fit for a longer Sussex stay - you could pair Sheffield Park with Scotney Castle or Wakehurst Place without much driving about.