Redan Hill

The walk up Redan Hill, just outside Farnham, is proper Surrey - steep enough to make your calves complain, rewarding enough to forget the grind once you're at the top. It's not dramatic or Alpine, but on a clear day the views across the Weald are genuinely lovely, and the wooded slopes either side keep things green and cool even in summer.

You're looking at about twenty minutes of climbing from the bottom, depending on your pace and the mud situation. The peak itself isn't vast - no cafe, no facilities, no crowds - which is exactly why it works. Local walkers come here regularly, families with older kids make an afternoon of it, and anyone after a proper leg-stretcher within striking distance of Farnham should mark it in.

The woodland walk up is the real draw. Ancient trees, decent paths, that smell of earth and leaves. On a quiet weekday morning it feels miles from anywhere, though you're barely a few miles from town. The views aren't show-stopping enough to keep you up there for hours, but they're the icing on what's already a cracking spot for exercise.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Chapel Farm Park or Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat are both within easy driving distance - this makes a proper morning excursion before you settle in for the day. Free, no hassle, no queuing. Bring decent footwear though; it gets boggy after rain.