Ecton Hill

Standing just outside Northampton, this modest 400-foot hill won't trouble serious fell walkers but delivers surprising rewards for minimal effort. The climb takes barely twenty minutes from the village of Ecton, winding through pleasant farmland before opening onto surprisingly expansive views across the Nene Valley.

Families with young children will find this a proper starter hill - steep enough to feel like an achievement without being a proper slog. The summit offers views stretching to the Cotswolds on clear days, though you'll need to pick your weather. Muddy boots are guaranteed after rain, and there's precious little shelter up top.

What makes Ecton Hill worth the detour is its accessibility from holiday parks around Billing Aquadrome and Sywell Country Park. It's the sort of morning walk that sets you up nicely for an afternoon by the lakes, and dog walkers seem to have claimed it as their own.

The hill sits on limestone, which explains the surprisingly good drainage and the scattered wildflowers in spring. Local history buffs might appreciate that this was once an important copper mining area, though there's little to see of that heritage today. Allow an hour for the round trip, longer if you fancy lingering at the top with a thermos. Free parking in Ecton village, assuming you can find a space that doesn't block someone's drive.