Highway Hill

The walk up Highway Hill from Devizes isn't long, but it's steep enough to catch your breath. Once you're up there, you get proper views across the Wiltshire plains - the sort of landscape that makes you understand why people have fought over this land for centuries. On a clear day you can see for miles. It's the kind of spot where the wind does most of the talking.

This is one for walkers rather than casual tourists. You're not getting a visitor centre or a cafe at the top - just you, the view, and whatever weather Wiltshire decides to throw at you. The climb takes maybe twenty minutes if you're not dawdling, and it's worth the effort if you're into walking rather than looking for somewhere to sit down and have a cake.

If you're staying at Blackland Lakes nearby, Highway Hill makes a cracking morning outing. Pop up, get the views, be back by lunchtime. It works well as part of a wider ramble around the area rather than a destination in itself. The ground can get proper muddy after rain, so watch your footing. Bring a jumper - it's windier at the top than you'd expect from ground level. Go early in the day if you want to avoid the afternoon crowds, though honestly it's never packed up here. This is genuine Wiltshire chalk country, and that's either exactly what you're after or it isn't.