Ramscombe Picnic Area

The car park at Ramscombe sits quietly on the edge of the Quantock Hills, just outside Holford. It's the sort of place you'd find by accident on a map, but once you're there, you realise it's exactly where you want to be. Tables are scattered across a grassy area with proper views back towards the Somerset levels - on a clear day you can see for miles. Bring a picnic and actually use it, rather than just talking about having one.

Walkers absolutely get the most from this spot. It's a proper trailhead for exploring the Quantock range, with routes threading through beech woodland and up to open moorland. The walk itself matters more than the destination, which is the whole point. Families with young kids will find it pleasant for an hour or so - they can run about, you can spread a blanket - but it's not a destination in itself. Bring entertainment if you're planning to camp here for a full afternoon.

The area's free and open year-round, though winter can be muddy and bleak. Spring and early autumn are when it shines. Allow two to three hours if you're doing a decent walk, less if you're just eating lunch and moving on.

If you're staying at Moorhouse Campsite nearby, this is practically on your doorstep - easy to slot into a morning before heading elsewhere. Haven Doniford Bay, five miles south, makes it a natural excursion during a coastal holiday. Real value is in combining it with a proper walk rather than treating it as an attraction on its own.