Ashley Heath

The walk up Ashley Heath near Market Drayton rewards you with proper views across the Shropshire plains - the sort of landscape that makes you understand why people fought over this county for centuries. It's not some dramatic peak; more a steady climb through farmland that opens out onto moorland with decent vistas if the weather plays ball.

You're looking at maybe forty minutes up from the car park, longer if you're not used to the inclines. The footpath is well-maintained but can get boggy after rain, so proper boots matter. Once you're up there, the moorland feels genuinely wild - gorse and heather in season, and on clear days you get a sense of the Wrekin to the south and the Welsh hills beyond. It's the kind of walk that takes two to three hours if you're not rushing.

This appeals most to walkers after some leg work without technical climbing, and families with older kids who won't complain about the gradient. If you're after five-minute viewpoint stops, this isn't it. But if you want to stretch out properly during a park holiday, it slots in well with stays at Westcott Woods Glamping or Fledgling Farm. Both are close enough that you could knock this out in an afternoon without feeling rushed.

Free to access, no specific opening hours - it's moorland. Go early though. The car park fills fast on weekends, and the later afternoon light can make the whole thing rather gloomy.