The Bevy

Brighton's South Downs don't announce themselves loudly, but head inland from the seafront and you'll find The Bevy - a proper historical site that locals seem to keep quiet about. It's an Iron Age hill fort, which means ramparts and ditches dug deep into the chalk, the kind of defensive earthwork that takes a moment to properly understand when you're standing in it.

Walking the perimeter takes twenty minutes or so, depending on how slow you go and whether you stop to read the interpretation boards. The views back towards Brighton are decent, and you get a real sense of why someone chose this spot 2,000 years ago - good sightlines, defensible position, water nearby. It's not dramatic, and kids under eight might lose interest quickly, but anyone interested in Iron Age Britain or how the landscape was shaped by our ancestors will find it genuinely rewarding.

The site sits free and accessible year-round, no gates, no cafe, no complications. Bring a proper map though - the signposting from Brighton itself is a bit haphazard. Spring and early autumn are best, when the ground isn't waterlogged and the view isn't obscured by summer haze.

If you're based at Southdown Way or Blackberry Wood, both within five miles, The Bevy works well as a half-morning walk before heading back to your caravan. Pair it with a South Downs ramble and you've got proper outdoors on your hands, not just a site visit.