National Trust - Slindon Estate

The Sussex downland rolls on for miles around Slindon, and the National Trust estate here gives you proper access to some of the best walking country in the South Downs. What started as a medieval village has been shaped by centuries of farming and forestry, and today it's managed as a working estate rather than a museum piece. You'll find yourself on well-maintained trails through beech woodland, across open chalk grassland, and past the village itself - which still has a working farm at its heart.

It's absolutely ideal for walkers, particularly those who want something more substantial than a park circuit but without the scrambling crowds you'd get at more famous South Downs spots. Most people allow two to three hours for a decent loop, though you can easily spend half a day here if you're in no rush. The estate is free to access, and it sits just three miles north of Arundel, making it a natural pairing with that town's castle and riverside if you're staying in the area.

Families with children of walking age will get the most from this - it's not a place with play areas or attractions, but rather a chance to let kids loose on proper countryside. The gradients are manageable rather than punishing, and there's genuine wildlife to spot if you're patient. If you're based at South Downs Caravan Park or any of the nearby sites, this makes for a cracking morning or afternoon venture that feels genuinely rural despite being minutes from accommodation.