Cowper's Alcove

You'll find yourself at a proper vantage point overlooking the Nene Valley just outside Olney, where William Cowper once came to think. It's basically a stone alcove carved into the hillside - not exactly a grand monument, but the views across the valley are genuinely worth stopping for. The riverside landscape spreads out below you, and on a clear day it feels like you're seeing exactly what the 18th-century poet saw when he needed to escape his lodgings.

The walk there takes about twenty minutes from Olney town centre, which makes it ideal for a leg-stretcher if you're staying at Ekeney House Campsite nearby. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the walk dull. History buffs will appreciate the Cowper connection - he was a big deal in his time, and this spot genuinely mattered to him.

There's nothing to pay and no opening hours to worry about - it's just there whenever you fancy visiting. Allow an hour if you're coming from Olney and want to take the walk slowly and actually sit for a bit. Early morning or late afternoon light makes the valley look its best, and you'll likely have the place to yourself.

It won't dominate your holiday, but combined with a walk through Olney itself or other countryside wandering in Buckinghamshire, it's well worth an afternoon's outing. Bring a good pair of shoes.