Bury Hill

The walk up Bury Hill, just outside Arundel, rewards you with proper views across the South Downs and out towards the coastal plains. It's not exactly a mountain - more a decent rise through woodland and open grassland - but on a clear day the outlook justifies the legwork.

You're looking at maybe forty minutes up from the car park, depending on fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath. The terrain is manageable: chalky paths that get a bit rutted after rain, some steep sections near the top, but nothing that demands serious hiking boots. The woodland is thick enough to keep you out of direct sun on warmer days, which is something.

Historically there's an Iron Age hill fort up there, though unless you know what to look for, the earthworks blend into the landscape. That said, the views from the summit make sense of why someone chose this spot to settle. On a windless afternoon it's genuinely quiet.

This works well as a half-day outing if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Old Farm Slindon is closest at under four miles. Families with kids aged eight upwards will manage it without complaint, though younger ones might grumble on the steeper bits. Walkers will find it a solid warm-up if you're tackling longer Downs routes. The real selling point isn't the summit itself but the walk through proper Sussex countryside without fighting crowds.

Go mid-week if you can. Weekends pull day-trippers from across the region.