Norbury Hill

The walk up Norbury Hill rewards you with proper views across the Shropshire borderlands - the kind of outlook that makes you understand why people settled here in the first place. It's a modest height by mountain standards, but that's rather the point. You get the sense of achievement without needing to be a fell runner.

The hill itself sits just outside Bishops Castle, a town that's made something of a name for itself with independent shops and decent pubs. The ascent is straightforward enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might find the final push a bit of a grind. Plan on a good hour there and back if you're taking your time, maybe longer if you're stopping to identify landmarks.

Walkers passing through the area tend to bag this one as part of a longer route round the Clun Valley rather than making it a standalone trip. Fair enough - it's worth doing, but you wouldn't necessarily drive from Birmingham just for this. If you're camped at Green Caravan Park or Brow Farm Campsite nearby, it's ideal for an afternoon sortie when the weather's decent.

Go on a clear day. On a grey one, you're just climbing a hill in Shropshire. On a clear one, you can actually see where you are, and that makes all the difference. No facilities on the hill itself, so bring water. Free to access, naturally - it's just land.