Springham Farm

Walking and cycling choices are endless in this neck of the woods. Grab the walking boots and make for the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (10 minutes’ drive) for hikes along former Saxon drovers’ lanes and through ancient woodland, or walk the open heathland of Ashdown Forest (40 minutes) to see the landscapes that inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. If you’re craving bracing sea air, head for Pevensey Bay (20 minutes) for long walks along the shingle, or plump for Eastbourne (half an hour), where you can splash around in shallow waves, promenade along the pier or play a golf on one of several links courses. As well as having a beach, Bexhill-on-Sea (25 minutes) is a smart destination for the odd rainy day, with vintage cars and fashions displayed at Bexhill Museum, and contemporary art exhibitions and concerts at the modernist De La Warr Pavilion. On a cultural mission? Opera fans can book tickets for world-class opera at Glyndebourne (25 minutes), and there are frequent craft workshops at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft (45 minutes), where icons of modern design are displayed, including London Underground signs and sculpture by Eric Gill.