Burrow Mump

A steep little hill rising abruptly from the Somerset Levels near Othery, Burrow Mump is the kind of place that catches you off guard. One minute you're cycling through pancake-flat farmland, the next you're clambering up a proper gradient to stand on top of an Iron Age fort. The walk to the summit takes about ten minutes if you're fit, longer if you take it steady - the path gets muddy and loose in places, so proper shoes matter.

Once up there, the views are genuinely worth the huff and puff. You get 360-degree sweeps across the Levels, and on a clear day you can spot the Mendips and Exmoor beyond. There's not much left of the actual fort - a few earthwork dips and bumps really - but the significance is obvious the moment you see how commanding the position is. Walkers and local history types will get something from it; small kids might find the scramble entertaining, though there's nothing to occupy them once you reach the top for more than twenty minutes.

Free to visit, and you can wander the fields around it as well if you've got time. The Levels are proper cycling and walking country, so combining a visit with a stay at one of the nearby parks like Thornhills or 5 Acres makes sense. Go when the ground's dry - the winter turns it into a bog and you'll spend half your time wiping mud off.