Ditchling Beacon

The South Downs Way runs straight up Ditchling Beacon, and frankly, that's the whole appeal. At 813 metres, it's the highest point on the ridge between here and the sea, and on a clear day you can see right across the Weald towards London. The walk itself takes about forty minutes from Hassocks if you're moderately fit, though the final stretch gets steep enough to make you work for the view.

What you get when you arrive is proper open downland - no buildings, no cafes, just grass, wind, and that extraordinary horizon. History buffs will appreciate the Iron Age hill fort that crowns the top, though admittedly there's not much to see beyond the earthworks. Walkers will want to carry on along the ridge in either direction; families with younger kids might find the climb a bit much, unless they're the enthusiastic type.

There's no charge and no facilities - bring water. The South Downs Way is open access year-round, though late spring and early autumn tend to be the best times, before the summer tramping crowds arrive and after the winter mud has dried out. If you're camping at Southdown Way or Blackberry Wood, just ten minutes away, you've got yourself a proper Sunday morning excursion. The beacon works well as part of a longer ridge walk rather than a destination in itself, but that view does make the climb worth it.