Tilshead Water Tower

The water tower itself isn't the draw here - it's what surrounds it. This Wiltshire nature reserve sits on the chalk downland between Salisbury and the Stonehenge landscape, and it's proper walking country. You get open grassland, scattered scrub, and on a clear day views that stretch for miles across the Wiltshire Plain.

It's the sort of place where you'll spot skylarks, rabbits bolting across the turf, and if you're lucky, some of the rarer downland plants. The ground is short and cropped by sheep, so there's nothing towering over you - just uninterrupted sky and the sense that you've walked out of modern England entirely. The tower itself is industrial relic rather than visitor attraction, but that's almost beside the point.

This works best for walkers and nature types rather than families with small children - there's no facilities, no cafe, nothing to stop the moaning after forty minutes. Allow an hour minimum, longer if you want to properly explore the surrounding paths. Go early morning or late afternoon; the midday light can flatten the landscape.

If you're camping at Brades Acre Camp Site, it's a straightforward walk from Salisbury itself, and it ties neatly into a broader Wiltshire chalk downland circuit. It's also within striking distance of Stonehenge Campsite if you want to layer it into a longer trip. Free to visit, no restrictions that I'm aware of - just park carefully and respect the land.