Parking Island Dinosaur

The name conjures something rather grander than what you actually find at Parking Island Dinosaur near Horsham. This is a small nature reserve tucked away in Sussex countryside, worth knowing about if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Raylands Country Park or Sumners Ponds Fishery and fancy a quiet morning's walk rather than a major day out.

It's a modest pocket of woodland and grassland where you might spot local wildlife - nothing exotic, despite the dinosaur billing - and it serves walkers and nature enthusiasts far more than it would engage young children hunting for prehistoric attractions. The reality is straightforward: a bit of protected ground with footpaths running through it, useful if you're after some gentle rambling in the area.

Access details are thin on the ground, so check ahead before driving over from Horsham - opening hours and admission charges aren't readily advertised. If you're camped at Knepp Wildland Safaris or Slinfold Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite nearby, this could fill an hour or so, though it won't be the highlight of your holiday. Better suited to committed walkers and birdwatchers than families with restless teenagers.

The Sussex landscape around here is pleasant enough, rolling and green, but Parking Island Dinosaur itself is more functional than spectacular. Go for it if you're staying locally and want to stretch your legs, but don't detour specially from further afield.