Paven Hill

You won't find queues or visitor centres at Paven Hill - it's a proper no-fuss walk up to decent views across the Cotswolds from near Swindon. The summit itself is unremarkable, a raised patch of grassland without so much as a cairn to mark the top, but the walk there takes you through farmland and woodland that's pleasant enough if you're in the area.

This isn't a destination that'll make you gasp. The views stretch out across the surrounding countryside, and on a clear day you can see quite far, but it's the sort of place you'd do en route to somewhere else rather than plan a day around. Budget forty minutes to an hour for the walk and back, depending on your pace and whether you linger. Free to access, obviously - it's just a hillside.

Walkers get the most from Paven Hill. Families with young kids might find it a bit of a slog with little payoff at the top, and there's nothing to occupy them once you arrive. If you're staying at Park Farm Campsite just down the road - that's a cracking base - you could easily include Paven Hill in a morning ramble before heading elsewhere. Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park, also close by, gives you options for longer walking routes through the area.

Go if you're already hiking locally and want to tick off a viewpoint. Skip it if views are all you're after - there are better ones within half an hour's drive.