Ham Hill

The walk up Ham Hill near Newbury is straightforward enough, but the views across the Berkshire Downs make it worthwhile. On a clear day you can see for miles - proper countryside rolling away in every direction, the kind of vista that reminds you why the South East isn't just motorways and commuter towns.

It's not a dramatic summit. There's no trig point, no café, no crowds. What you get instead is a decent hilltop walk that takes about forty minutes from the nearest car park, depending on your pace and where exactly you start. Families with older kids will manage it fine; anything younger and you're looking at a longer, slower outing.

Historically it's worth knowing that Iron Age folk fortified this place - there are earthworks you can still make out if you know what you're looking at. Most visitors just enjoy the walking and the views though, which is fair enough.

The real strength of Ham Hill is how it fits into a wider rambling afternoon. Combine it with other walks in the area and you've got a proper day out. If you're based at Hollington Park Glamping nearby, you can knock this off without much faffing about - it's close enough for a morning walk before heading elsewhere. Worth the detour if you're in the region anyway, but don't build a trip around it alone.