Cooper's Hill

The view from the top of Cooper's Hill stops you dead. On a clear day you're looking straight across the Surrey Weald with the North Downs rolling away in all directions - it's that rare thing, genuinely worth the climb. The walk up from Guildford side takes about forty minutes depending on your fitness, but the path is well-trodden and not brutal, just steady. Once you reach the summit at 652 feet you get a proper 360-degree panorama: Leith Hill pokes up to the south, the ridge stretches east and west, and on good days the chalk cliffs of Box Hill are visible in the distance.

It's a favourite with walkers rather than families with small children - the terrain's rough in places and there's not much to do once you've taken the photos beyond sit on a bench and enjoy the Surrey air. History buffs might care that this was where the Magna Carta was signed, though the actual spot's disputed and there's precious little marking to show it. Allow two hours if you're dawdling, ninety minutes if you just want the view and a quick breather.

From either Chapel Farm Park or Wyldecrest - both within three or four miles - you could easily make this a morning or afternoon outing. It pairs well with walks around the Weald or a visit to Guildford itself, though on its own Cooper's Hill is more of a stop-off than a destination. The real pull is the vista.