Stonards Hill Recreation Ground

The path up Stonards Hill is steep enough to get your heart pumping, but the view across Hertfordshire from the top makes it a proper worthwhile slog. It's a nature reserve rather than a manicured country park - rough grassland, scrubby woodland, the sort of place where you actually spot wildlife rather than just hope you might.

There's a real mix of habitat here. Chalky soil means different plants than you'd find in most of the county, and on a decent afternoon you'll see butterflies, birds working the bushes, maybe a kestrel if you're lucky. The trails aren't marked with painted arrows and signposts - you navigate by common sense, which some people find refreshing and others find annoying.

It works best for walkers who want a proper walk rather than a stroll. Allow ninety minutes to two hours if you're taking it slowly and actually looking around. Kids with stamina will get into it; small children might find the steep bits tedious. The nearest town is Sawbridgeworth, about a mile or so away, which is handy for a cafe stop afterwards.

If you're staying at The Wild Retreat at Redricks Lake nearby, this makes an easy morning out. It's free, obviously - it's a nature reserve - and there's nowhere to buy refreshments up there, so bring water. Spring's the best time if you want to see wildflowers and migrating birds, though honestly it's worth a visit any time the weather's decent.