Cleve Hill

Cleve Hill isn't a dramatic summit - it's more of a gentle rise that gives you proper views across the Kent marshlands towards the Thames estuary. On a clear day you can see right across to Essex, and there's something rather satisfying about standing at 356 feet and watching the light change over the water meadows below. It's the sort of place where you realise how flat Kent actually is.

Walkers get the most from this one. The hill sits nicely for a longer ramble across the North Kent Downs, and if you're based at Seasalter Holiday Park or any of the other camping spots round Whitstable way, it's an easy detour that doesn't eat up half your day. Kids won't find much to do at the summit itself - there's no playground or tea shop, just the walk - so factor that in if you've got restless types in tow.

It's a straightforward climb, maybe thirty to forty minutes from the car park depending on your pace and fitness. Free to access, obviously. Spring and early autumn work best - summer crowds get the weather but you're walking in the heat, and winter can be bleak up there with the wind whipping across the exposed ground.

For a coastal holiday centred on Whitstable's oyster bars and pebble beaches, Cleve Hill makes a sensible half-day walk inland. You get some actual elevation and air in your lungs before heading back to the seafront. It's not the sort of thing that'll be the highlight of your trip, but it's a solid way to use an afternoon if the weather's on your side.