Pond Places

You'll find yourself walking through proper woodland here - the kind where the light filters through in stripes and the path gets properly boggy after rain. Pond Places, near Petworth in Sussex, is exactly what its name suggests: a small forest dotted with ponds and wetland areas that make it feel far more remote than it actually is.

It's a walker's spot, first and foremost. The terrain isn't demanding - nothing that'll wreck your knees - but you need decent boots because standing water and muddy patches are part of the charm. Most people spend between an hour and ninety minutes here, depending on whether you just follow the main route or poke around the smaller trails. The ponds themselves are the main draw: they're teeming with frogs and dragonflies in summer, and the birdlife is genuinely impressive if you know what you're listening for.

Historians and nature types will get more from this than young children, who'll find it a bit slow after the initial excitement of spotting tadpoles wears off. There's no café, no visitor centre, no facilities really - it's just forest and water.

If you're staying at the Camp and Touring site at Old Farm Slindon six miles away, this makes a decent morning walk to break up your holiday. It won't blow your mind, but it's authentic Sussex woodland without the crowds you'd get at somewhere more famous. Go when it's been dry for a few days if you can.