Fir Hill

You're looking at one of those modest Wiltshire highs that doesn't shout about itself. Fir Hill sits a few miles north of Salisbury and offers genuine countryside views across the chalk downs without requiring mountaineering ambitions. The climb's straightforward enough - nothing that'll have you gasping - and from the top you get proper panoramic stuff: rolling fields, scattered woodland, and on a clear day, genuine perspective on how the Salisbury Plain spreads out. It's the sort of walk where you understand why people settled here centuries ago.

Walkers will find it worth an hour's detour, especially if you're based at Marshwood Farm Camping or Chalke Valley Camping nearby. Both are excellent spots, and Fir Hill makes a natural morning or afternoon excursion without eating your whole day. Kids will manage it fine - it's not a slog - though whether they'll find the views as gripping as you do is another matter entirely. Honestly, if you're after dramatic vistas or challenging terrain, you'll be disappointed. But if you want a proper walk that connects you to the landscape around Salisbury, without the tourist crowds, it delivers.

The lack of facilities up there means come prepared with water and something to eat. It's free to visit, naturally. Best tackled in autumn or spring when the weather's cooperative and you're not melting in summer heat. The proximity to those camping sites makes it ideal if you're exploring Wiltshire's quieter corners rather than heading straight for Stonehenge.