Damerham Knoll

The walk up Damerham Knoll rewards you with views across the New Forest and towards Salisbury Plain - nothing dramatic, but genuinely pleasant countryside rolling away in all directions. It's a modest peak by any standard, the sort of spot locals know and visitors often miss entirely, which is exactly why it works.

This is walker territory, full stop. The climb takes perhaps twenty minutes from the nearest car park, and the terrain is straightforward chalk downland - no scrambling, no technical bits. Families with older kids will manage it without complaint. Younger children might find the walk back downhill a bit of a drag, especially if the ground's wet. The views themselves aren't the sort that make you gasp, but they're honest and clear on a decent day, which happens more often than you'd expect in Dorset.

There's nothing to do once you're up there except stand about and look, which sounds limiting until you actually try it. Bring a packed lunch and stay a while. The spot works brilliantly as part of a wider walking loop - you can tie it into longer routes across the downland without much bother.

If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks around Salisbury or Fordingbridge, Damerham Knoll makes an honest morning's outing. Don't expect facilities or infrastructure - it's just a hill you climb. That's rather the point. Free to visit, naturally. Go on a clear day or don't bother.