Fulking Hill

The walk up Fulking Hill takes you straight into proper South Downs territory, just a few miles north of Henfield. It's not a dramatic peak - more of a steady climb through beech woodland that opens onto chalk grassland with the kind of views that justify leaving the car behind. On a clear day you can see right across the weald, and the air feels properly clean in a way the lowlands never do.

This is walker's country, frankly. The route itself is straightforward enough, taking around an hour to reach the top from the village, though fit types will do it quicker. The summit isn't a sudden thing - more a gradual realisation you've climbed higher than everything around you. There's genuine satisfaction in that, if you're after it.

It works brilliantly as part of a larger Downs walk. You can string together several hours moving along the ridge without really noticing the effort, especially if the weather's kind. Families with older kids will manage fine, though younger children might find the steady gradient a bit relentless. Come in spring when the woodland floor's still interesting, or autumn when the light turns golden and the crowds thin out.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Foot of the Downs is practically on your doorstep at under a mile away - Fulking Hill makes an excellent morning outing. Free to access, obviously. It's the sort of walk that clears your head properly, leaves you thinking you've actually done something, then gets you back for lunch.