The Beacon

The Beacon sits on Bardon Hill, a proper commanding spot just outside Loughborough where you can see for miles across Leicestershire. It's a stone tower - Victorian-era, built as a focal point on the landscape - and while it's not enormous, the walk up to it is the real payoff. On a clear day, you get views that stretch across the Charnwood Forest area, which justifies the climb alone.

This is one for walkers and history types rather than people after a full day's entertainment. The site itself doesn't demand hours of your time - you'll have spent what you came for in 45 minutes to an hour, including the walk up. But if you're doing a longer ramble through the countryside around Loughborough, it's a natural waypoint and a good reason to stop for breath at the summit.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Proctors Park is closest at under three miles away - the Beacon makes for a straightforward afternoon outing. It's the kind of place that works best on a decent weather day when the views are actually worth seeing. Heading there in drizzle would be a bit pointless, truth be told.

Bring proper walking shoes. The path gets muddy when wet, and there's no dodging the climb. No facilities up there, so sort yourself out in Loughborough first. It's free to access, which is worth knowing - you're just paying with your leg muscles.