Marston Hill

The walk up Marston Hill rewards you with views that stretch across the Cotswolds in one direction and down towards Swindon in the other - on a clear day you can pick out the town's sprawl quite easily. It's a proper climb though, steep enough to get the heart going but nothing that takes more than half an hour or so from the base. The summit itself is a bit exposed, which means the wind can howl through, but that's precisely what makes it feel genuine rather than manicured.

You're looking at bare moorland and grass underfoot, the sort of place where walkers outnumber tourists by miles. Families with older kids will find it manageable; younger ones might lose interest before reaching the top unless they're keen type. Bring decent boots - the ground gets muddy after rain and it's easy to turn an ankle on the descent if you're not paying attention.

There's no visitor infrastructure at all, so pack what you need. Free to access, naturally. Come early morning or weekday afternoons if you value solitude - weekends pull a steady stream of locals from Swindon.

If you're base camping nearby, Great Farm sits just two miles away and makes a solid overnight stop before heading out to the bigger attractions. Hoburne Cotswold, further afield at five and a half miles, works if you want more facilities. Marston Hill itself serves as a proper workout between longer days exploring the region rather than a destination in its own right.