St Ann’s Well Gardens Brighton & Hove

You'll find this tucked away just north of Brighton itself - a proper little nature reserve that most visitors walking the seafront completely miss. St Ann's Well Gardens is basically what happens when someone lets a patch of chalk downland do its own thing: wildflowers running riot across the slopes, dry grassland that looks like it's barely been touched since the Victorians abandoned it. The chalk exposures along the sides catch the light on a good day and you can see why locals reckon it's worth the detour up from the city.

It's the sort of place where you wander rather than rush. Walkers and nature types will spend a good hour here poking about - there's a decent chalk flora presence if you know what you're looking for, and the views back towards Brighton aren't half bad. Families with younger kids might find it a touch underwhelming on its own, truth be told. There's no café, no facilities really, just the reserve itself. But it works well as a morning walk from any of the nearby campsites like Pegs and Pitches or Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club, especially if you're staying in Sussex and want to mix proper nature time with Brighton's attractions.

Free to wander. Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're really botanising. Best in spring or early summer when the wildflowers are actually out. Winter's a bit grey and uninspiring.