Netherfield Place

History buffs can soon be exploring 1066 Country; the medieval ruins of Battle Abbey (10 minutes’ drive) stand over the battle site where Harold lost out to William the Conqueror. Surrounded by a moat, romantic Bodiam Castle (15 minutes) is open for self-guided tours, while the formal gardens at Tudor-era Herstmonceux Castle (20 minutes) are also open for exploration. You can burn off some energy on the hiking and cycling trails at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest (25 minutes), and if you hit a rainy day, there are workshops and interactive science displays to keep you busy at the Observatory Science Centre (20 minutes). The shepherd’s hut is also only a short drive from the south-east coast and the pebble beach at Bexhill-on-Sea (20 minutes), where you can have a paddle in the sea and munch fish and chips on the prom. Hastings (25 minutes) has a renovated pier, which is home to amusement arcades and food stalls, and Bulverhythe Beach (half an hour) is a quieter option with a wooden shipwreck visible at low tide.