Haywards Heath

Suburban respectability meets proper countryside within minutes here. Haywards Heath might look like just another commuter town on the Brighton line, but step beyond the Victorian terraces and you'll find some of West Sussex's most rewarding landscapes waiting.

The town itself is perfectly pleasant if unremarkable. But that's rather the point - it's the jumping-off spot for adventures into the surrounding wealden countryside. The Warren provides miles of forest walking without the crowds you'll find closer to Brighton, while St Leonards Forest stretches away to the north with ancient woodland that feels genuinely wild.

National Trust's Nymans is the real star turn locally. Their gardens are absolutely magnificent in spring and autumn, and the ruined house has a properly romantic Gothic feel. High Beeches Gardens runs it close though - their autumn colour is something else entirely.

History buffs will appreciate Cuckfield Museum and the atmospheric ruins at Old Slaugham Place, while families with young ones should definitely consider Tilgate Zoo for a proper day out. The Wings Aviation Museum appeals to a more specialist crowd but does it very well.

Getting here couldn't be easier - trains from London Victoria take under an hour, and you're right in the heart of the South Downs without the coastal crowds. The A23 brings drivers down from the M25 in roughly the same time.

Staying at one of the local parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into Brighton for the day, yet surrounded by proper countryside. Wild Boar Wood Campsite and Worth Forest Glamping both put you right in the thick of the forest walking, while Knepp Wildland Safaris offers something completely different with their rewilding project.