Windmill Hill

The walk up Windmill Hill from Stockbridge is one of those proper Hampshire outings that rewards you without demanding much in return. You're climbing to around 600 feet, which sounds modest until you're actually doing it, but the gradient is forgiving enough that most people with reasonable fitness will manage it without needing a lie-down afterwards.

What you get at the top is a sweeping view across the Test Valley - the kind of vista that makes you understand why this spot has been valued for centuries. On a clear day you can read the landscape for miles. The windmill itself is long gone, but the chalk downland turf is lovely, and it's the sort of place where you genuinely feel you've earned a sandwich and a flask of tea.

This works well if you're based at one of the nearby farms - Feather Down Manor Farm and Wigwam Holidays are both within a mile and a half, so you could do it as a morning mission before heading back for lunch. Families with older children will find it manageable; younger kids might flag on the way back down. There's no entry fee or anything like that - you just park near Stockbridge and walk. Allow a solid hour for the round trip, maybe longer if you're the lingering type.

It's not a destination in itself, but it's absolutely worth doing if you're spending a few days in the area. Combines nicely with exploring Stockbridge town itself or walking other sections of the Test Valley.