Picked Hill

The walk up Picked Hill rewards you with proper views across the Marlborough Downs - nothing dramatic, but on a clear day you can see right across the chalk uplands that make this part of Wiltshire so distinctive. It's an easy ramble from Marlborough itself, taking you through rolling grassland with the sort of wide-open horizons that make you remember why people camp out here.

This is walker territory, really. If you're staying at Ridgeway Campsite or Little Owls Camping nearby, it's a sensible half-morning circuit rather than a full day's outing. The summit itself is modest - don't expect a trig point or a café - but the walk there is the thing. You'll pass through proper downland, the kind that looks properly English without trying too hard. Families with reasonably fit kids will manage it without complaint; very young children might find it a bit of a slog depending on which route you take.

There's no admission charge because it's just a walk across open countryside. The best time is spring or early autumn when the chalk paths dry out and you're not trudging through mud. Allow two hours there and back, give or take. From Honey Bee Glamping or Totteridge Farm you're only a short drive away, making it an obvious add-on to a Wiltshire holiday. Honestly, if you're already in the area walking the Ridgeway or exploring around Marlborough, it's well worth including. Don't expect solitude - but expect honest, straightforward countryside.