Nutbourne Park

Nutbourne Park is a proper nature reserve tucked away in Sussex countryside between Chichester and the South Downs - the kind of place you could easily miss if you weren't looking for it. The reserve spans woodland and wetland habitat, so you've got everything from mature trees to open water where you might spot waterfowl if you're patient enough to stand still for five minutes.

It's ideal for a quiet morning walk rather than a full-day mission. Birdwatchers will get the most from it, especially during migration seasons when you can clock some decent species. Families with young kids might find it a bit samey after half an hour unless they're genuinely keen on spotting birds or insects - there's no playground or facilities to speak of. The paths are manageable, though they can get muddy after rain.

If you're staying at Bow Hill Farm, the caravan site a few miles west near Singleton, Nutbourne makes an easy afternoon addition to your Sussex break. Combine it with a walk in the Downs proper or a day trip into Chichester itself rather than banking the whole day on the reserve alone.

The site appears to operate as a free-access reserve, though I'd ring ahead to confirm current access arrangements - these places sometimes close for management work or during nesting season. Best visited spring or early summer when there's actual birdlife about rather than bleak winter months when the wetland is just wet.