Castle Hill

Castle Hill rises abruptly from the Surrey countryside just outside Redhill, and it's one of those walks where the effort feels properly justified once you reach the top. The summit stands at 219 metres - nothing Alpine, but high enough to deliver genuine views across the Weald toward the South Downs on a clear day.

The actual hill fort itself is Iron Age, though calling it a castle is a stretch - what you're really looking at are ancient earthworks and ramparts, the bones of settlement from over two thousand years back. Most visitors spend an hour working up and down, maybe thirty minutes dawdling at the top with a packed lunch. The path can get muddy after rain, and it's fairly open, so go early if you want solitude.

Walkers will find this rewarding, particularly those with teenage legs. Younger children might lose interest once the novelty of the view wears off, though the scramble up keeps things less tedious than a flat moorland trudge. History buffs get a kick out of seeing the ditches and ramparts clearly, even if there's not much interpretation on site.

Free to visit and accessible from Redhill town itself - no car required if you're based nearby. Camping at Alderstead Heath is just over three miles away, making this a solid half-day excursion between longer park explorations. Winter's actually best, when the trees thin out and sightlines improve. Summer feels crowded by comparison, though still worthwhile.