Horner Hill

The walk up Horner Hill from near Chard rewards you with proper Somerset-Devon border views that stretch across the Blackdown Hills. It's not a dramatic peak - more a steady climb through farmland and woodland to a modest summit - but on a clear day the Quantocks are visible to the north and the landscape rolls away in all directions.

Most people do this as part of a longer ramble rather than a standalone pilgrimage. The hill itself takes perhaps forty minutes from the nearest parking, and the views hold your attention for maybe twenty minutes before you're itching to move on. It's solid walking country rather than a special destination, honest. Families with younger legs will find the gradient manageable, though there's nothing to actually do once you reach the top - no café, no visitor centre, just fields and sky.

The real appeal is how it fits into the broader Blackdown landscape. If you're based at Hartridge Springs Spa Glamping nearby, this works as a morning walk before breakfast - close enough that you won't waste time driving. Spring and early summer are best, when the fields are alive and the light stretches longer. Winter fog can roll in without warning and obscure everything, which is frankly pointless.

It's free, obviously - it's a hill. Allow two hours if you want to linger and soak in the quiet rather than rushing up and down. Local knowledge matters here; unmarked paths can be confusing, so an Ordnance Survey map is essential.