Gold Hill

The walk up Gold Hill from Hungerford takes about forty minutes if you're not rushing, and the views across the Berkshire downs are genuinely worth the effort. It's a proper ridge walk rather than a single peak - you're following open downland with beech woods flanking either side, and on a clear day you can see for miles across the North Wessex Downs.

This is walkers' territory. The terrain is well-trodden and straightforward enough for families with older kids, though it gets muddy in winter and the climb at the end has some steep sections that younger legs might find tiresome. Historians will enjoy the Saxon and Bronze Age archaeology scattered across the ridge - there are earthworks and ancient trackways you can still make out if you know what to look for.

There's no visitor centre or facilities up top, so bring water and decent boots. Allow two to three hours for a circular route and don't expect a dramatic summit - Gold Hill builds its appeal gradually through the walk itself rather than a single payoff moment.

It sits perfectly within a broader Berkshire walking trip. Lorne Hill Farm, just 1.5 miles away, offers a solid base for exploring the downland, while Evelyns Garden Glamping at 5.8 miles gives you somewhere more indulgent to return to after a day on the hills. The landscape here feels properly rural without requiring the serious fitness that the higher downs demand. Go midweek in autumn when the beech woods are turning colour - weekends can get busy with local runners.