Ballast Hole

A murky stretch of water just outside Crawley that started life as an industrial excavation - they dug out ballast for the railways, hence the name - and now it's become a proper little local spot for a walk or a bit of birdwatching. The lake itself isn't dramatic. It's shallow, weedy in places, and the water's the colour of weak tea. But that's rather the point.

What you actually do here is wander the paths around it, maybe spot some waterfowl if you're lucky, and get a bit of peace away from the A23. It's the kind of place where you notice things - dragonflies in summer, frost patterns on the reeds in winter. The surrounding woodland gives it some shelter, though there's not much in the way of facilities or formal infrastructure.

This works best for walkers and nature types rather than families after a day out. You won't find a cafe or a playground. Allow an hour at most for a loop walk. It's free, naturally, and accessible year-round, though muddy patches are inevitable in wet weather.

For a caravan holiday based at one of the nearby sites like Gatwick Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Worth Forest Glamping, Ballast Hole makes a pleasant half-hour detour on a quiet afternoon. It's not a destination in itself, but if you're exploring the area around Crawley and want fifteen minutes of actual quiet, it delivers that much at least.