There is plenty to keep children busy here all day with an excellent play park and hands-on nature exhibits, as well as trails across the heath where you will see the park in its full glory with purple heather, silver sandy paths and wildlife-filled ponds.

Frensham Little Pond is less visited than its more well known big brother, Frensham Great Pond. Unlike the latter, you cannot bathe at the little pond which means wildlife thrives in the water and surrounding woods and heath.

Just a stone’s throw from the town centre, Midhurst common is a delightful place to explore with plenty of paths through woodland and sandy heath. Three ponds are home to an abundance of fish and are accessed by silver sandy dunes.

Explore heathland, that is an important habitat to a variety of wildlife, along the clearly marked nature trail. Use the downloadable information leaflets to discover what species are living within the site and collect brass rubbings of them as you walk.

Witley Common comprises a variety of landscapes from sunny, sandy heathland to green, wooded glades. A walk here is an absolute joy for all ages, and it is made all the more enticing by the rustic wooden play features found near the start of the trail.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, the boardwalk across Thursley Common Nature Reserve has risen again. Snaking its way from Moat Pond to Pudmore Pond across the lowland heath and marshes, this beautiful wooden structure appears to actually enhance the already spectacular natural scenery.

If you want to find what could well be the best views in The South Downs National Park, then head to The Temple of the Winds on The National Trust managed Black Down, near Haslemere. You will be able to follow easy and flat trails in the footsteps of former local resident Alfred Lord Tennyson to the highest point in the national park.

The attractive village of Oakhanger is bordered by Shortheath Common, which has special conservation status in recognition of its many habitats. It also has a rather splendid play area right beside the start of this short walk.

The New Forest’s largest freshwater pond is a magnet for animals and birds and is one of the most wildlife rich bodies of water in lowland England. This walk crosses the heathland, purple in late summer, to reach it.