Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum

Two utterly different worlds under one roof - that's the peculiar appeal of Bentley near Hailsham. You get a wildfowl collection on one side and a motor museum on the other, which sounds jarring until you realise both are genuinely worth your time, just not necessarily together.

The wildfowl park is the real draw for families with younger kids. There are ducks, geese, swans and more exotic waterfowl than you'd expect in rural Sussex, and they're close enough to actually watch properly rather than squint at from a distance. You can feed them (bring bread, though they sell proper pellets), and there's enough space to wander for a couple of hours without feeling rushed. The motor museum is quieter - vintage cars, some proper rarities if you know what you're looking at, but it won't hold anyone's attention for more than an hour unless you're genuinely into that sort of thing.

It's the kind of place that works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby campsites - Golden Cross, Dernwood Farm or Hale Farm are all within five miles - and you need a half-day activity that doesn't require advance planning. Free or paid entry, opening hours and facilities aren't crystal clear from their website, so ring ahead.

Best visit on a weekday if you can. Weekends get noticeably busier and the birds get properly harassed by the crowds. Combine it with Horam Manor Country Park a couple of miles south for a proper day out in the area.