Roughridge Hill

The walk up Roughridge Hill rewards you with proper views across Wiltshire's rolling chalk country - and you won't need climbing boots or a packed rope to get there. It's a straightforward climb from the surrounding farmland near Devizes, the sort of walk that feels substantial without being punishing, and on a clear day you can see for miles across the countryside.

What you're after here is the view and the walk itself rather than ruins or visitor facilities. There's no café, no interpretive boards, no reason to linger for hours - but that's rather the point. Walkers will get the most from this one. Families with kids of eight or nine upwards could manage it fine, though younger ones might find the climb tedious without constant incentive. History types interested in the Wiltshire landscape will appreciate the perspective you get from the summit.

Allow an hour or so for the round trip depending on your pace and how long you spend at the top. It's free, obviously - there's no gate, no entrance fee. Spring and early summer are best, when the chalk hillside isn't a muddy slog and the views aren't obscured by summer haze.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Honey Bee Glamping, Blackland Lakes, or Little Owls just a few miles away - this makes a proper morning out without requiring a long drive. Pair it with a wander around Devizes itself or one of the canal walks in the area, and you've got a solid day.