Winter Hill

Climbing the gentle wooded slopes above Cookham Dean, you'll find yourself at one of the Thames Valley's most rewarding viewpoints. Winter Hill rises 145 metres above the surrounding countryside, offering sweeping views across the Chilterns and down towards the river below. The walk up through beech woodland is lovely - about 20 minutes from the village - though the final stretch gets properly steep.

Families with older children will manage the ascent without too much grumbling, but it's not pushchair territory by any stretch. The real payoff comes at the top where you can see for miles on a clear day. Marlow sits in the valley below, while the chalk downs roll away towards High Wycombe. It's particularly spectacular in autumn when the beech leaves turn golden.

Walkers often combine Winter Hill with the longer Chiltern Way, which passes right over the summit. Allow an hour return from Cookham Dean if you're just doing the hill itself. The viewpoint is always accessible and completely free - just follow the public footpath signs from the village. Those staying at nearby sites like Hurley Riverside Park or Penn Meadow Farm Camping will find it makes a cracking half-day excursion when the weather's cooperating.