Waller's Ash

The walk up Waller's Ash rewards you with Hampshire views that stretch properly far on a clear day. It's not dramatic - no sudden cliff edge or heather moorland - but the climb through woodland gives way to open ground where you can actually see what you've climbed for. Most people bash it in forty minutes or so from Winchester, which makes it ideal if you've got a caravan at Hookpit Farm just down the road and want to stretch your legs without committing to a full day out.

There's nothing to actually do once you're up there beyond stand about and take photos, which is fine. The view back towards Winchester and across the chalk downs is pleasant rather than breathtaking, and on a windy day it's genuinely bleak. That said, the walk itself - gentle woodland paths, no scrambling - is the real attraction here. You'll see families with reasonably young kids managing it without too much moaning.

It's free, obviously. Go midweek if you can, because weekends bring out the whole of South Hampshire wanting a bit of fresh air. The Spinney Caravan Park sits five minutes away and would work equally well as a base. If Waller's Ash feels too tame, Winchester itself is worth the drive, but the peak is a solid half-day option when camp life needs breaking up.