Gare Hill

Gare Hill rises abruptly from the Wiltshire countryside just outside Warminster, a proper vantage point if you're after wide views across the valley without breaking a sweat. The walk up is straightforward - nothing too taxing - and once you're at the top you get panoramic countryside stretching in every direction, the kind of outlook that makes you understand why Iron Age folk chose to camp here centuries ago. There's an ancient hill fort at the summit, though these days it's more felt than seen in the long grass and gentle contours rather than dramatic earthworks.

It works best for walkers and history types rather than families with small children, simply because there's not much in the way of facilities or structured activities once you arrive. Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're the type to sit about and take it in. The real appeal is the journey and the views - on a clear day you can clock several miles across the downs.

If you're bunking down at one of the nearby parks - Longleat Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is barely three miles away, or there's Center Parcs Longleat Forest if you fancy something more plush - Gare Hill makes an easy morning or afternoon outing. It fits neatly alongside a broader exploration of the Wiltshire high ground. Free to visit, no ticketing, no timings to worry about. Just turn up and walk.