Painswick Beacon

The view from Painswick Beacon will stop you mid-breath. Standing at 312 metres on this Cotswold ridge above Stroud, you're looking out across a proper patchwork of fields, woodland and distant hills that makes you understand why people fought over the Cotswolds. It's an Iron Age hill fort, though you won't see dramatic ramparts - the earthworks are subtle, rolling away beneath your feet as you walk the summit. Most people come for the walk and the view, not the archaeology.

Getting here means a decent hike from Painswick village or the various car parks scattered around the foot of the hill. It's not brutal, but it's a proper climb rather than a stroll. Worth every step though. The Cotswold Way passes through here, so you'll often find walkers stopping to catch their breath and soak in the outlook towards the Forest of Dean. On a clear day you can see right across three counties.

This works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the glamping spots dotted nearby - Painswick Glamping is closest at just 1.4 miles - and it's the kind of walk that reminds you why you booked a countryside holiday in the first place. Older kids will manage the climb; little ones might find it frustrating. Allow a couple of hours including the ascent and time to sit about and stare. No facilities up top, so bring water. Free access, naturally, and open whenever you fancy the walk.