Paul's Hill

The walk up Paul's Hill near Fairford is straightforward enough - nothing dramatic, but the views across the Cotswolds from the top make it worth the leg work. You're looking at rolling farmland stretching toward distant hills, and on a clear day you can pick out villages dotted across the landscape like someone's scattered them there deliberately.

It's the sort of walk that works brilliantly for families with older kids or anyone after a gentle afternoon stretch without needing specialist gear. The ascent isn't steep, and most people will manage it in under an hour round trip. There's proper satisfaction in reaching the summit - that moment where you can actually see something for the effort - even if it's not a dramatic peak.

Walkers will get the most out of this. It connects well with the surrounding footpath network around Fairford, so you can easily string together a longer ramble if the mood takes you. The best light is late afternoon when the sun catches the vale properly.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby parks - Burford Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite and Great Farm are both rated exceptionally highly - Paul's Hill works as a decent morning or evening walk without eating into time you might want for exploring the wider area. Wysdom Touring Park is another solid option if you're looking for somewhere to land nearby.

Free to access, no facilities at the top, so bring water. Go when the ground's dry - it gets boggy after rain.