The Green

The Green is a proper nature reserve just outside Cranbrook, the sort of place where you actually notice the quiet. It's scrubland and woodland mixed together - nothing manicured, which is exactly what makes it worth the visit. You're walking through low heath and scattered trees, spotting the birds that actually live here rather than the ones brought in for show.

This is one for walkers and bird-watchers mainly. Families with young children might find it a bit thin on thrills - there's no café, no playground, no obvious focal point. But if you've got older kids who can manage a proper ramble, or you're into spotting species, it delivers. The trails aren't strenuous, just meandering enough to feel like an escape.

The beauty of The Green is how it sits alongside a proper holiday if you're camping at The Original Hut Company nearby - only five miles away. You could spend a morning here, work your way through the reserve at a gentle pace, then head back for lunch. It's the sort of place that justifies a couple of hours rather than a full day, and that fits neatly into a Sussex break.

Best visited in spring or early summer when the birds are active and the scrub isn't too overgrown. Go midweek if you can - weekends bring the dog walkers, which isn't bad, just noisier. Free access, naturally.