Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve

The chalk grasslands here roll out properly magnificent - all those swollen white hills rising up from the Pewsey Vale, with views that stretch for miles on a clear day. This is proper downland walking territory, and it punches well above its weight for a nature reserve that most people drive past without noticing.

What you're really here for is the wildlife and the landscape itself. The reserve protects some of Wiltshire's finest chalk grassland, which means summer brings orchids, butterflies, and skylarks in abundance. The walks are gentle rather than strenuous - you can potter about for an hour or make a proper afternoon of it depending on your mood. Free to access and no faffing about with entrance fees, which is refreshing.

Walkers will get the most out of this. It's the sort of place where you can clear your head without fighting crowds. History types will appreciate the Iron Age hill fort that crowns the reserve - you can still make out the ramparts if you know what you're looking at. Families might find it a bit sparse if the kids expect facilities or dramatic viewpoints, but if they'll manage without a cafe, the open space and rolling terrain keep them entertained.

Marborough is just down the road, so this pairs nicely with a base at Totteridge Farm Camping Pods. Go in late spring or summer when the flowers are out and the birds are singing. Autumn is decent too - fewer people about and the light gets moody over the valleys.