Park Hill Park

The moment you step onto Park Hill, you're properly surrounded by proper Surrey woodland - the kind that feels a world away from Redhill town centre even though it's only a short drive out. This is a genuine nature reserve, not some manicured park with flower beds and benches. You get woodland trails, open grassland, and if you're lucky, sightings of everything from nuthatches to muntjac deer.

Walkers will have the best time here. There's enough ground to cover without it becoming a slog, and the mix of tree cover and clearings means you're not just trudging through dense forest for hours. Bring binoculars if you're into birds - the mix of habitats attracts a decent variety. Families with kids who can manage uneven ground will find it worthwhile, though it's not the place for buggies or toddlers in need of constant stimulus.

There's no visitor centre or facilities that I'm aware of, so come prepared. Water and proper footwear are essential. Spring and early summer are when it's most worth your time - the woodland floor is alive then, and the bird activity peaks. Winter's moody but quieter if solitude appeals to you.

If you're basing yourself at Milberry Green Meadows just down the road, Park Hill makes for a cracking half-day excursion. It's the kind of place that reminds you why Surrey's green belt actually matters. Not Instagram-famous, which is precisely the point.