Bexley Hill

The walk up Bexley Hill rewards you with proper views across the South Downs - the kind that make you forget how muddy your boots are. It's a straightforward climb from the Petworth side, taking maybe 45 minutes if you're not rushing, and the path is well-trodden enough that you won't need a map, though it does get steep toward the summit.

Once you're up there, you get the full panorama: rolling fields, distant woodland, and on a clear day, visibility that stretches for miles. It's not dramatic in the theatrical sense - no sudden cliffs or dramatic drops - but it's genuinely lovely, the kind of view that settles into your bones after you've sat with it for ten minutes.

This is walker territory, primarily. Families with young kids might find the climb a bit much, though older ones would manage fine. History enthusiasts won't find much to gnaw on up here - there are no ruins or interpretive boards - so come for the walking and the views, not for stories. Allow a good two hours if you want to potter about at the top.

It fits perfectly with a base at Graffham Camping and Caravanning Club Site, just four and a half miles away, where you can park up and have this walk on your doorstep. Alternatively, Woodfire at Westerlands is marginally further but offers more creature comforts if you're not keen on roughing it. Either way, Bexley Hill is the sort of peak that justifies a long weekend in the Downs without being so famous you'll be queuing at the summit.