Nonsuch Park

The moment you step through the gates at Nonsuch, you forget you're in Greater London. Two hundred acres of woodland, meadow and lake spread out in front of you - it's the sort of place where you genuinely lose track of time.

The park sits on the grounds of a Tudor palace that Henry VIII never quite finished, and if you're into that sort of history, the surviving earthworks are fascinating to pick through. More often than not though, you're here for the walking. The lake circuit is proper lovely, and the woodland paths attract everyone from serious birders to people who just want to escape the suburbs for an afternoon. On a decent day, it's genuinely peaceful.

Walkers will get the most from this place - there's enough track to make a proper outing of it, and the open meadows mean you're not just trudging through trees. Families with young kids might find an hour enough; older children who can manage a decent walk will happily spend half a day here. The freedom to roam is part of the appeal.

If you're based at Chessington World of Adventures Resort just down the road, Nonsuch works brilliantly as a quieter counterpoint - somewhere to decompress when the theme park chaos gets too much. Free access, no entrance fees, no queues. Just bring decent shoes if it's been wet, because the paths get boggy. Early morning is best if you want the place to yourself.