Cornwallis Hill

The highest point in Essex sounds grander than it actually is, but that's rather the charm of Cornwallis Hill. You're looking at 482 feet - hardly Alpine territory - yet the walk up from Royston way offers proper views across the Essex countryside and into Hertfordshire beyond. It's not a dramatic peak with a trig point and a summit shelter. What you get is a modest rise, some open grassland, and the kind of wide-open vista that makes you understand why this corner of East Anglia mattered enough to mark as the county's top spot.

This is walker territory, really. The climb itself takes maybe twenty minutes if you're ambling, and you won't find crowds or facilities up top. The appeal is in the walking rather than the destination - a straightforward loop from the nearest villages gives you a half-hour outing, longer if you fancy exploring the surrounding footpaths. Families with young legs will enjoy it; expect questions about why the "highest hill" is so modest.

Go on a clear day or you'll regret it. Mist rolls in and you lose what little drama there is. The nearby Pightle Farm Campsite makes a logical base if you're building a walking holiday around the area, though honestly you could knock this off as a morning jaunt from Hidden Gem Glamping too. It's not worth a special trip on its own, but combined with the broader Essex countryside and the villages around Royston, it slots in nicely.