The Chiltern Summit

The highest point in the Chilterns at 876 metres, this windswept spot rewards walkers with proper views across three counties on a clear day. It's less a monument and more a modest marker - you won't find anything grand here, just the satisfaction of having reached the top of the range.

The walk itself matters more than the destination. Most people approach from near Tring, tramping through beech woodland that feels properly ancient. The path can be muddy after rain, so decent boots are worth the bother. Allow two to three hours for the round trip if you're not rushing.

History types will appreciate knowing this marks the spine of an ancient landscape - medieval drovers moved cattle along these ridges, and the Icknield Way has threaded through here for millennia. But there's no visitor centre, no cafe, no interpretation boards. You get what the landscape gives you.

Families with older children (ten plus) will enjoy it; younger ones might find the walk tedious without a proper summit building to aim for. It's genuinely free and open year-round. Late autumn or early spring offers the clearest air and fewest crowds.

Stay at Hill Farm Camping just 0.3 miles away and you're perfectly placed for this walk, or base yourself at Chiltern Yurts four miles out if you want something with more atmosphere. The walk slots neatly into a Chilterns rambling holiday - it's less a tick-box attraction and more a proper hill walk that happens to reach the highest point.