Where to go · West Sussex
Forest bathing at Buchan Country Park
A small woodland country park on the edge of Crawley, with ponds, mostly surfaced paths and a free car park.
Buchan Country Park is 170 acres of woodland, heath and ponds on the western edge of Crawley, owned and run by West Sussex County Council as a place for quiet recreation and wildlife. It was once part of the wider St Leonard's Forest, and the heath is still kept open on purpose. Island Pond and Douster Pond sit among the trees.
This is a good choice if you want somewhere easy to reach. The free car park off Horsham Road has toilets, a countryside centre and a coffee shop, and a bus stop is about ten minutes' walk away. Many paths are tarmac or concrete and wide enough for wheelchairs and pushchairs, though some are muddy and there are a few steep slopes. Head away from the picnic area and the ponds to find the quieter woodland. The car park fills at weekends.
Practical
- Managed by
- West Sussex County Council
- Parking
- Free car park off Horsham Road; often full at weekends
- Terrain
- Woodland, heath and ponds; mostly surfaced paths, some muddy and some steep slopes
- Nearest station
- Ifield is the nearest station
- Facilities
- Toilets, countryside centre, coffee shop (open part of the week), picnic area
- Opening and entry
- Car park and toilets open daily; free
- Official page
- westsussex.gov.uk
Last updated 4 November 2026. Paths, parking and access can change, so check before you visit. Spotted something out of date? Please let us know.
Guides nearby
Three guides within 15 miles of Buchan Country Park
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Lisa Duncan
HINOKI Forest Bathing
Abinger Hammer, Surrey
UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute
Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+1 more
More woodlands in West Sussex
All venues in West Sussex
Black DownPine, heath and old woodland on the highest ground in the South Downs National Park
Ebernoe CommonAncient woodland and wood pasture north of Petworth, rich in bats and fungi
Kingley ValeOne of western Europe's finest yew forests, in a chalk valley near ChichesterPhotos: Black Down, Peter S (CC BY-SA 2.0); Ebernoe Common, Peter Holmes (CC BY-SA 2.0); Kingley Vale, DimiTalen (CC0).