Deacon Hill

The walk up Deacon Hill takes about twenty minutes from Alton, and honestly, it's worth setting aside an hour if you've got the time. You're looking at roughly 186 metres of elevation - nothing that'll leave you gasping, but enough to earn the views across the Hampshire countryside once you reach the top. The hill itself is open moorland, exposed in places, which means the wind can pick up sharply, so dress accordingly.

What makes this one worthwhile is the sense of proper isolation you get despite being so close to a market town. Walkers will find the terrain straightforward, though it can get boggy after rain. Families with reasonably mobile kids will manage it fine; the youngest might flag a bit on the final push, but there's nothing technical about it. The views aren't dramatic in the Lake District sense - this is gentle rolling landscape, not jaw-dropping vistas - but they're genuinely pleasant and give you a real sense of being somewhere rather than just passing through.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Wigwam Holidays is particularly close at just over three miles away - this works brilliantly as a morning or afternoon excursion. Feather Down Manor Farm and Hampshire Hills both sit within easy driving distance too, so it slots neatly into a broader park holiday without feeling like a major expedition. Free to access, obviously. Go on a clear day if you can; the top gets rather bleak and grey when the cloud rolls in.