Mare Hill

The walk up Mare Hill from Godalming rewards you with proper views across the Surrey countryside - nothing dramatic, but genuinely lovely on a clear day. It's a modest peak by any standard, the sort of place locals know well and visitors often miss entirely.

What you're doing here is straightforward: a decent moorland walk with open heathland that shifts between golden gorse and purple heather depending on the season. The summit itself is a bit underwhelming if truth be told - no trig point, no proper marker - but the walk to get there is the real draw. Allow an hour each way at an easy pace, longer if you're taking photos or stopping to identify plants.

This suits families with older kids and walkers who like low-key countryside without the crowds. You won't need special equipment, just reasonable shoes. Free to access, obviously, being common land.

Timing matters. Summer brings the heather into bloom, which transforms the moorland into something genuinely worth the effort. Winter's a bit grim and muddy. Spring and autumn are safe bets.

If you're based at one of the local glamping spots - Little Cowdray Farm or Tilford Woods are both within spitting distance - Mare Hill slots in nicely as a morning sortie before settling back for a proper lunch. It's not a day-long commitment, which makes it excellent for breaking up a longer park holiday without exhausting anyone.