Deacon Hill

The walk up Deacon Hill, just east of Hitchin, takes about twenty minutes if you're not dawdling. It's not dramatic - Hertfordshire doesn't do drama - but the views across the Chiltern foothills are genuinely pleasing, especially on a clear day when you can pick out the town spread out below. The summit itself is modest, topped with scrubland and the occasional bench for catching your breath.

Walkers will find this straightforward and rewarding without being taxing. It's the sort of place families with primary-school children can manage without complaint, though teenagers might find it a bit tame. History types won't find much to latch onto - there's no dramatic ruin or ancient settlement marker - but the landscape itself tells you something about how this corner of England sits between farmland and proper hills.

It's free, obviously. Allow an hour if you're taking photographs or just sitting about at the top. Mornings are better than afternoons when the light's friendlier. If you're staying at nearby Almshoe Glamping, this makes a decent morning circuit before heading into Hitchin proper for lunch.

Deacon Hill doesn't pretend to be more than it is. It's a straightforward local walk with decent views and enough elevation to feel like you've earned a rest. Worth the trip if you're in the area? Yes. Worth planning your whole holiday around? Probably not.