National Trust - Lavington Common

Walking onto Lavington Common feels like stepping back several centuries. This National Trust-managed stretch of heathland sits just outside Petworth and comprises proper open country - gorse, heather, and scattered birch trees that look like they've been here for ever. You're not getting manicured gardens here; this is the real thing, the kind of landscape that's been worked over for centuries and somehow kept its wild edge.

The common itself is free to roam, which is the whole point. There are tracks crossing it, gentle enough for families with young kids but interesting enough that you won't feel like you're just pushing a buggy around a park. The views roll out across the South Downs, and on a clear day you can see well beyond Petworth. Wildlife-watchers will find it worthwhile - adders, slow worms, and various birds make their home here, though you'll need patience and early mornings for spotting anything rare.

Allow a couple of hours to properly walk it without rushing. Spring and early summer are cracking times, when the heather's starting to show colour and the whole place feels alive. Winter's fine too if you don't mind muddy boots.

If you're staying at nearby Woodfire at Westerlands or Graffham's Camping and Caravanning Club Site - both within spitting distance - Lavington Common makes an excellent morning or afternoon outing. It pairs well with Petworth itself, which has the house and gardens if you want something more structured. This is the outdoor bit, the breathing space between proper attractions.