Houns-tout Cliff

The walk up Houns-tout Cliff, just south of Wareham, rewards you with one of Dorset's finest coastal vistas. It's a proper climb - nothing technical, but steep enough that you'll feel your legs working by the time you reach the top. The cliff itself isn't dramatic in the way you might expect; it's the view that matters. From up here, you can see right along the Jurassic Coast, with the Isle of Purbeck stretching out in front and the English Channel doing its thing beyond. On a clear day, it's genuinely worth the huff and puff.

The route works well for anyone reasonably fit - families with older children manage it fine, and walkers will appreciate the range of coastal paths nearby. Allow a solid hour for the climb and a bit of pottering around at the top. Go early morning or late afternoon to dodge the crowds and catch decent light. Midweek is noticeably quieter than weekends.

It slots nicely into a Purbeck holiday. Wareham is close by for supplies and food, and if you're staying at any of the nearby parks - Swanage Bay View or Norden Farm Campsite are both within easy reach - you can combine this with walks around Studland or the Dorset coastal path. The whole outing takes a morning or afternoon depending on your pace. Free to access, no facilities at the top, so bring water. It's not revelatory, but it's exactly what you want from a coastal walk in this part of the world.