Petworth

Antique shops and art galleries line the narrow streets where the National Trust's magnificent stately home draws weekend crowds from London. Petworth feels like a town that takes itself seriously - and rightly so, given its extraordinary collection of Turner paintings and Van Dyck portraits housed within Petworth House's grand rooms.

The medieval streets wind uphill from the market square, past independent bookshops and proper country pubs that serve decent ales. It's quintessentially Sussex, this place - all flint walls and Georgian facades, with the South Downs rolling away in every direction. Parking's a nightmare on Saturdays when the London set arrive for their culture fix.

Petworth Park sprawls for miles beyond the house, where ancient oak trees and fallow deer create scenes that Turner himself painted from these very spots. The deer park feels wild despite being carefully managed - you'll spot herds grazing beneath centuries-old trees while walkers follow public footpaths across the grassland.

Surrounding countryside offers proper hiking territory. Farm Hill and Barlavington Down provide excellent viewpoints across the Downs, while Dunction Hill delivers cracking views on clear days. The numerous woodland areas like West Wood and East Wood make for pleasant shorter walks when you've had enough of stately home crowds.

Chichester lies 15 miles south, connected by regular bus services, though driving gives you proper flexibility for exploring the scattered villages and hilltop pubs. Staying at South Downs Caravan Park puts you right in the heart of this landscape - close enough for easy Petworth visits but positioned perfectly for discovering the quieter corners of the Downs that most visitors miss entirely.