Clearhedge Wood

Walk into Clearhedge Wood and the Sussex countryside properly reveals itself. This isn't some manicured nature reserve with interpretation boards every fifty metres - it's a genuine working woodland near Heathfield where you can actually get lost in the trees without worrying about mobile phone signals.

The wood itself is mixed deciduous, so spring brings bluebells that'll stop you in your tracks, and autumn turns the whole place into shades of rust and gold. There are decent walking paths threading through, though they're not heavily signposted, which adds to the appeal if you like a bit of navigation. You'll spot old coppice work and evidence of proper woodland management - the kind of thing that makes you realise how much modern forests are actually shaped by human hands.

It works brilliantly if you're camping at one of the nearby sites - Horam Manor is less than half a mile away, Dernwood Farm and the others within easy driving distance. Families with older kids will get more out of it than toddlers; it's the sort of place where ten-year-olds can actually play independently without you panicking. Walkers heading into the High Weald will find it a good warm-up, nothing strenuous but enough to get your legs working.

Free access as far as I can tell, and you can do it in an hour or spend half a day if you're really meandering. Honestly, it's the kind of wood that rewards getting there early - fewer people, better light, and you might actually see something worth photographing.