South Downs National Park

The South Downs roll out across Sussex like someone's thrown a green blanket over the landscape and then forgotten to smooth out the wrinkles. It's proper countryside - chalk grasslands, beech woodlands, valleys that make you understand why people walked these ridges for thousands of years. The National Park spans 628 square miles, which is vast enough that you won't feel crowded even on busy weekends.

Walkers will find their heaven here. The terrain ranges from gentle riverside strolls near Petworth to proper hill walks along the ridge with views that stretch to the sea on clear days. Families with younger kids should stick to the lower paths - the ascents can be steep and relentless in places. History buffs get Iron Age forts, Roman roads, and villages that haven't changed much in 200 years.

There's no entrance fee, which is one of its greatest assets. You pay for parking at specific car parks, but that's it. Allow half a day minimum for anything worthwhile, though many people spend entire weeks here without running out of walks.

Staying at Graffham Camping and Caravanning Club Site or Woodfire at Westerlands puts you right on the park's edge - a fifteen-minute walk to serious downland. Both are excellent bases. Wakestone & Wild Glamping, five miles out, offers a quieter approach if you want glitz with your greenery.

The park is genuinely best visited in late spring or autumn when the light's proper golden and the crowds thin out. Summer gets busy. Winter reveals the bare bones of the landscape beautifully, though weather can be mean.