Bayard Hill

Standing 232 metres above the rolling Dorset countryside, this modest hill rewards walkers with proper views across Weymouth Bay and the patchwork fields that stretch inland. The climb isn't particularly taxing - a steady gradient through farmland that takes about 20 minutes from the nearest parking spot.

Walkers will get the most from Bayard Hill, though families with older children who don't mind a bit of uphill slog will find it manageable. The summit itself is unremarkable - just grassland really - but the panorama makes the effort worthwhile on a clear day. You can pick out Portland Bill to the south and the urban sprawl of Weymouth below.

Best tackled early morning or late afternoon when the light's at its most flattering and the crowds are thinner. There's no formal path marking, so you'll need to navigate by common sense and maybe an OS map if you're not confident with directions.

For those staying at one of the holiday parks around Weymouth like Haven Weymouth Bay or Waterside at Bowleaze Cove, it makes a decent half-day excursion when the beach loses its appeal. The hill sits roughly between Weymouth and the Fleet Lagoon, so you could easily combine it with other local walks. Just don't expect Everest - this is gentle Dorset rambling at its most undemanding.