Newhaven

The ferry terminal dominates everything here, with P&O vessels sliding into Newhaven harbour like floating tower blocks. It's a proper working port town where the smell of salt air mingles with diesel fumes and the cry of gulls drowns out traffic noise. Most people dash straight through on their way to France, but they're missing something decent.

Newhaven sits at the mouth of the River Ouse, where the South Downs tumble into the sea in spectacular fashion. The Caburn looms to the north - a proper climb that rewards you with views across the valley. Just up river, you'll find Charleston, where Bloomsbury Group artists Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell created their bohemian haven. The house still feels lived-in rather than museum-stiff.

Glyndebourne opera house brings black tie and picnic hampers to the rolling downland each summer. It's wonderfully incongruous seeing evening gowns navigating sheep fields. Meanwhile, National Trust's Monk's House at Rodmell offers a quieter glimpse into Virginia Woolf's world.

The coastline here is chalk cliffs and shingle beaches rather than sand. Peacehaven stretches along the clifftops to the east, while the South Downs Way provides excellent walking in both directions. Middle Farm draws families for its sheep races and farm shop, though it gets packed at weekends.

Brighton's just eight miles west if you fancy proper seaside buzz, but the Newhaven area has its own appeal. Staying at one of the nearby parks like Warren Wood Country Park or The Secret Campsite puts you perfectly placed for both downland adventures and cross-Channel escapes.