Henfield

Traditional Sussex village pubs line the High Street, while ancient water mills still turn beside the River Adur. Henfield feels like the sort of place where morning dog walks lead to proper chats with neighbours, and Sunday afternoons drift by without much fuss.

The village sits in a shallow valley where the South Downs begin their gentle rise northwards. It's working countryside here - fields of rape and barley stretch between copses, with footpaths threading through to hidden spots like Cobbs Mill, where you can watch the old waterwheel do its thing. Henfield Museum tells the story of this agricultural heartland, housed in a building that's seen more than its fair share of village drama.

Worth the short drive out to Leonardslee Gardens when the rhododendrons are properly showing off in late spring. The garden's series of ponds - Engine Pond, Waterfall Pond, New Pond - create this lovely cascade effect down the hillside. Less crowded than the big National Trust places, but just as rewarding.

Footpaths head into Parsonage Wood and Woolfly Wood for decent walks without the weekend crowds you get closer to Brighton. South Lodge dominates the landscape with its Victorian grandeur, though it's now a rather posh hotel.

Brighton's only 30 minutes down the A283, but Henfield retains that proper village feel that many places this close to the coast have lost. The surrounding campsites and parks make sense as a base - you're well placed for the Downs, close enough to nip to Brighton for fish and chips, but far enough out to hear actual silence at night. Horsham's 20 minutes north if you need proper shops or a railway connection.