Martinsell viewpoint

The walk up Martinsell Hill rewards you with one of those views that makes the climb feel properly worthwhile. You're standing on an Iron Age fort, looking out across the Vale of Pewsey towards Devizes - the landscape spreads out in layers of green and gold depending on the season. It's not a gentle stroll; the path climbs steeply and can get muddy, but twenty minutes gets you to the top from the car park near Pewsey.

This is walker territory, really. History buffs will find the earthworks interesting - the ramparts are still visible after all these centuries - but you're coming here for the vista, not a guided tour. On a clear day you can trace the Wiltshire ridgeline for miles. Children will enjoy the scramble up, though younger kids might find the steep bits a challenge.

You'll want at least an hour if you're taking photos and soaking it in. Summer mornings are cracking - fewer people and the light sits nicely across the valley. Winter can be bleak and windy, though that does clear the crowds.

It works brilliantly as part of a longer walking day in the area. Totteridge Farm Camping Pods is just 1.5 miles away, perfect if you want to base yourself nearby. Hillview Park and Ridgeway Campsite are equally close, so you could easily pair this with other Wiltshire walks - the chalk downland around here is proper rambling country. Free to visit, no facilities at the summit, so bring water.