Burrow Hill

A proper Somerset climb this one, with the reward being a view across the Levels that makes the huffing worthwhile. Burrow Hill rises sharply from the flatlands near Langport, and on a clear day you can see right across to the Quantocks and beyond. The walk itself takes about twenty minutes from the bottom, steep enough to feel like you've earned something but not so brutal that you'll want to turn back halfway.

What you get up there is an Iron Age hill fort - earthwork banks still visible after two thousand years, which is the sort of thing that hits different when you're standing on it. No fancy visitor centre, no café, just you and some decent Levels views. Bring decent boots because it can get muddy, especially after rain.

History types will spend a good hour poking around the ramparts and trying to work out the layout. Families with older kids do well here - the walk's manageable and there's a proper sense of achievement at the top. Toddlers will find it tedious.

Stay at either Thorney Lakes or the excellent 5 Acres site on the Levels themselves, both close enough for a morning excursion. It works nicely as a break from the flatter walking the Levels demand. Free to visit, of course. Go in autumn or spring when you won't be sweating up a hillside in July heat.