Cusop Hill

The walk up Cusop Hill rewards you with one of those views that makes the slog worthwhile - on a clear day you're looking across the Wye Valley towards the Black Mountains, proper expansive stuff. It's not a massive undertaking either, maybe forty minutes or so from the village of Cusop itself, which sits just outside Hereford.

What you're doing is climbing to an Iron Age hillfort. The earthworks are still visible if you know what to look for - ditches and ramparts that once formed a defensive settlement. For history types it's genuinely interesting; for everyone else it's just a good excuse to get high ground and see the landscape spread out below you.

The hill is free and open access. You won't need special equipment, though decent boots matter when it's wet - the ground gets boggy in patches. Best visited on a day when visibility is decent; heading up in thick cloud rather defeats the purpose. Allow a couple of hours if you're stopping to take in the views and poke around the fort.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - By the Wye Glamping and Hay-on-Wye Caravan Park are the closest options - this slots in nicely as a morning or afternoon walk. Hay-on-Wye itself is worth a wander for the bookshops if you're in the area. The climb isn't steep enough to tire out keen walkers, but young children might find it tedious. It's one for families with kids old enough to appreciate a proper walk and a view.