St Margaret's Mount

The climb up St Margaret's Mount is brief but rewarding - just a few minutes of proper leg work from the edge of Cambridge to reach what amounts to the highest point for miles around. It's nothing dramatic, mind you. The summit sits at about 60 metres, and you're scanning flat Cambridgeshire countryside stretching out in all directions, with the spires of the city visible to the west on a clear day.

Walkers will appreciate the vantage point and the quick return to civilisation. Families with younger kids find it manageable without the commitment of a serious ramble. History buffs get a bit more - there's a medieval mount here, one of those Norman defensive works that dots East Anglia, though what you see now is mostly earthwork rather than architecture.

It's free and takes about half an hour return, longer if you linger. The views aren't stunning enough to make it a destination in themselves, but it's solid for a leg-stretch if you're staying at Shepreth Mill Caravan & Camping Holiday Park, which sits just 3.5 miles south. Combine it with a mooch around Cambridge itself - the walk starts from the edge of town, so you're not driving far.

Best in late spring when the surrounding fields green up properly. Summer can feel a bit exposed if the sun's strong. The real appeal is that it breaks up a holiday around Cambridge rather nicely - proper gentle Cambridgeshire stuff without requiring special boots or most of a day.