The Grove

The Grove sits just outside Redhill and is one of those places you might drive past without realizing what you're missing. It's a proper nature reserve - woodland and open grassland mixed together - that works best if you're after a decent walk rather than a quick tick-box visit.

The reserve itself isn't vast, but it's well-managed and genuinely quiet. You get a mix of habitats here: mature trees, scrubby bits, and clearings that are good for spotting birds and insects depending on the season. Spring and early summer are when it really comes alive. There are paths through the woodland, though they're nothing fancy - this is working countryside rather than a manicured trail system.

Walkers will appreciate it most. Families with younger kids might find an hour or so enough before they get restless, though if you've got keen naturalists in tow they could spend longer looking for butterflies and small birds. It's also decent if you're based at Alderstead Heath Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite just six miles away and fancy stretching your legs between park days.

The reserve is free to access - no entrance fees or faffing about. No facilities to speak of, so bring water. It's the kind of place that reminds you why the South East still has pockets of proper countryside left, even with Redhill sprawling nearby. Worth the detour if you're serious about getting off the tarmac.