Folly Hill

The view from Folly Hill near Newark is genuinely worth the effort to get up there. It's not a dramatic peak by any stretch - Lincolnshire doesn't do dramatic - but on a clear day you can see across the Vale of Belvoir towards Leicester way, and that's the sort of modest revelation that sticks with you. The "folly" bit refers to the odd tower structure that sits at the summit, built as a Victorian folly and now a local landmark. Getting there means a straightforward walk from the village below, about half an hour at a decent pace. No real scrambling involved, though it's muddy in wet weather. The whole thing takes an hour or so if you're not rushing. Families with young walkers won't struggle with it, though toddlers might find it dull once they reach the top. History buffs might get something from the folly itself - there's a bit of local character to it - but this isn't a place that demands hours of your time. What it does offer is a genuine sense of getting somewhere, which matters when you're staying at one of the local caravan parks like Wagtail Country Park or Janson Fishery. It's close enough for an afternoon escape without feeling like you're driving miles for nothing. Best visited when the light's good - either early morning or late afternoon gives you the best views across the vale. Free to visit, obviously, since it's just a hill.