National Trust - Pepperbox Hill

The tower on Pepperbox Hill is an oddity - a white-painted brick structure that looks like it belongs in a fairy tale rather than the Wiltshire downs. Built in 1606, it sits alone on the ridge, visible for miles across the chalk landscape. You can walk right up to it, circle it, peer through the windows at the bare interior, and feel properly small against the sky.

What you're looking at is a folly, really - a local landowner's whim that's somehow survived four centuries. The views from up here stretch far across Salisbury Plain, and on a clear day you can make out the spire of Salisbury Cathedral in the distance. It takes about twenty minutes to walk here from the car park, and the final push up is steep enough to earn a breather at the top.

Histor enthusiasts will enjoy the walk and the oddness of the thing, but don't expect museums or interpretation boards. It's just the tower, the landscape, and a bit of mystery about why it was built at all. Kids might find it atmospheric rather than gripping - the novelty wears off once they've had a look round.

Since it's a National Trust property with free access, it slots nicely into a wider Wiltshire walking trip. Stay at Green Hill Farm Holiday Village nearby and use this as one of several downland walks in the area. Go early on a weekday if you want the place to yourself.