Tog Hill

The walk up Tog Hill from Bath is properly rewarding - less than an hour from the city centre and you're standing on a 300-metre peak with views across the Avon Valley that stretch for miles. On clear days you can pick out the Mendips to the south and the Forest of Dean haze to the north. It's not exactly a mountain, but what it lacks in drama it makes up for in accessibility.

The summit itself is modest - just a grassy knoll with a few benches and the kind of view that justifies the modest climb. The path is well-trodden and straightforward enough for families with older kids, though legs younger than about eight might find the final push a bit much. Allow forty minutes up, half an hour down, and another thirty if you want to sit and soak it in properly.

What makes this work is how close it sits to Bath. If you're staying at somewhere like Bath Mill Lodge Retreat nearby, Tog Hill fills an afternoon brilliantly without requiring a full expedition. It's the sort of walk you can do in regular trainers, and you won't arrive at the top shattered. The view justifies the effort without leaving you exhausted for the rest of your holiday.

Go on a weekday morning if you can. Weekends bring walkers from town, and while it's never rammed, the solitude on a quiet day makes the spot considerably better. Free, obviously. Just turn up.