Broadwater Green

A proper Sussex wetland reserve that doesn't get the crowds of flashier nature spots. Broadwater Green, just outside Lancing, is the sort of place you stumble upon when you've actually got time to slow down during a caravan holiday.

It's a working nature reserve where the main draw is birdwatching - the shallow pools and reedbeds attract everything from winter wildfowl to spring warblers depending when you visit. The walking is gentle, nothing strenuous, and you can do a circuit in under an hour or potter about for longer if you've got binoculars and patience. There are proper viewing areas set up so you're not just tramping through mud in your trainers.

Families with young kids might find it a bit slow for their pace - you've got to actually look and listen rather than have things happen at you. But if you've got teenagers into nature or anyone who fancies a quiet morning away from the seafront madness of nearby Lancing, it's well worth the detour. The reserve is free to access and there's no time limit, so cost-wise it's a proper win.

If you're staying at The Barn or Beach Park - both within three miles - this makes a solid morning's activity between beach days. Go early, ideally midweek, to avoid whoever else has discovered the place. Spring and autumn are best for bird variety, though winter brings the bigger flocks if that's your thing.