Farley Mount

The climb up Farley Mount from Stockbridge takes about twenty minutes if you're reasonably fit, and the effort pays off properly. You're walking through beech woodland that gets increasingly open as you gain height, then suddenly the trees part and you've got views across the Test Valley that stretch for miles on a clear day. The summit itself is marked by a monument - a stone obelisk erected in the 1740s to celebrate a local man's horse jumping a five-bar gate. It sounds daft, but it's genuinely charming once you're up there.

Histoy enthusiasts will appreciate the Iron Age fort that crowns the hill - the earthworks are still visible if you know where to look, though they're subtle compared to more dramatic hillforts. The real appeal here is the walk itself and the sudden openness at the top. It's not a gruelling slog, which means families with older kids can manage it without complaint, and walkers passing through the area will find it a worthwhile detour.

The whole expedition takes about ninety minutes from Stockbridge if you potter about at the summit. There's no formal infrastructure - no café, no visitor centre - which keeps it refreshingly low-key. It's free, naturally. If you're staying at Stockbridge View, just five miles away, this makes an excellent morning walk before heading off elsewhere. The Test Valley location means you're well positioned for exploring the wider chalk downland.