Trencrom Hill

The walk up Trencrom Hill takes about twenty minutes if you're not dawdling, and the views across Mount's Bay make every step worthwhile. You're looking at one of those proper Cornish granite outcrops that commands the landscape - 450 metres of gorse, heather, and prehistoric intrigue. Iron Age folk built a fort up here once, and you can still make out the ramparts if you know where to look. The hill sits just outside the village of Trencrom, north of St. Ives, so it's dead convenient whether you're based at St. Ives Holiday Village or one of the other parks dotted nearby. On a clear day, you'll clock the coast all the way round. On a murky one, you'll mostly see your own feet in the mist, which has its own charm. The walk itself is steady rather than brutal - families with kids manage it fine, walkers will appreciate the moorland feel, and history types get a genuine thrill poking about the ancient remains. There's no visitor centre or cafe, so bring water and perhaps a pasty from town. It's free to visit, naturally. Allow an hour if you're taking photos and sitting about. Best tackled in the morning when the light's golden and you've got the place largely to yourself. Come autumn and the gorse flowers, and you'll understand why people get sentimental about this corner of Cornwall. Not a massive commitment, but genuinely rewarding if you're within striking distance of St. Ives or staying at one of the caravan parks in the area.