Stubs Copse

You'll find yourself walking into proper old-growth woodland the moment you enter Stubs Copse, just outside Hassocks. The canopy is thick enough that even on bright days there's this lovely dappled light filtering through - the sort of place where you half expect to bump into a badger round the next bend. It's a working forest, so you get a real sense of the woods as a living thing rather than a manicured country park.

The walking here is straightforward. Paths wind through beech and oak, and locals use it for everything from morning dog walks to serious rambling. There's something quite meditative about it - nothing dramatic, no viewpoints or attractions in the traditional sense, just good honest woodland. Allow a couple of hours if you want to properly explore without rushing. Bring the kids if they're the sort who'll entertain themselves spotting birds and building stick houses, but this isn't a destination for youngsters wanting playground facilities.

It's the sort of place that punches well above its weight when you're staying nearby. Wild Boar Wood Campsite sits just 5 miles away, and honestly, having proper woodland like this on your doorstep transforms a camping holiday. You're not trapped at the site - you can slip away for a morning walk and still be back for breakfast. The landscape here feels properly Sussex: quiet, undramatic, and all the better for it. Free to access and worth knowing about if you're planning time in the area.