Gibbet Hill

The walk up to Gibbet Hill from Godalming is steeper than you'd expect for the Surrey hills, but that's rather the point - the effort buys you a proper vantage point over the Weald. It's a bare, open summit with views that stretch across three counties on a clear day, which makes it worth timing your visit for decent weather rather than pushing through the drizzle.

The hill itself is modest in scale but the surrounding woodland walk is genuinely pleasant, mixing beech and oak with open grassland. History enthusiasts will note the name refers to an actual gibbet that stood here centuries ago - a sobering reminder beneath your feet while you're admiring the panorama.

Allow a couple of hours for a round trip from Godalming town centre. It's free, naturally, and works brilliantly as a half-day outing rather than a full day's work. Walkers will find the terrain manageable if not challenging. Families with young children might find the climb tedious without sufficient bribery, though older kids who enjoy a modest hike will get something from it.

If you're basing yourself at Little Cowdray Farm Glamping just down the road - and the reviews suggest you should - Gibbet Hill slots in nicely as a morning walk before heading back for lunch. The proximity to Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat makes it accessible from either camp, though parking in Godalming itself can be fiddly on weekends. Start early if you want solitude.