Polegrove

The Sussex coastline around Bexhill-on-Sea keeps its quieter corners well hidden, and Polegrove is one of them. This modest nature reserve sits just inland from the seafront, a proper local spot rather than a headline attraction. You're looking at wetland habitat - the sort of place where you'll spot herons if you're patient, and reed warblers making a din in spring. It's not vast, so don't come expecting a full day's walking; an hour or so does it nicely, depending how keen you are on birdwatching.

The appeal here is straightforward. If you're holed up at one of the nearby holiday parks - Park Holidays UK is barely a mile away, or Combe Haven just three miles out - Polegrove fills an afternoon without faffing about. The paths are accessible enough for families, though it's bog boots weather half the year. Naturalists and bird enthusiasts will get more from it than casual strollers.

Access details are tricky to pin down, but it's the sort of reserve that tends to be free and open to wanderers year-round. Spring is best if you care about birds; autumn brings migrating species through. Winter is quiet but can be genuinely atmospheric on a grey Sussex afternoon.

Truth is, it won't change your life. But if you're staying nearby and the weather's reasonable, it beats another arcade game at the seafront. It's real Sussex - unglamorous, a bit damp, and all the better for it.