Montacute Castle

The walk up Montacute Castle hill rewards you with one of Somerset's finest viewpoints - you can see for miles across the county from up there. It's a proper climb though, so don't underestimate it if you're taking the kids. The summit itself is crowned with the remains of what was once a Norman motte-and-bailey, though there's not much left to see beyond the earthworks and the trig point. What makes it worthwhile is the view itself and the walk through countryside that feels genuinely remote, even though Crewkerne is only a few miles south.

Historygeeks will appreciate the castle's significance - it's one of the earliest Norman fortifications in Somerset - but this isn't a place where you'll spend hours poring over information boards. You come here for the walk and the vistas across the Blackdown Hills. On a clear day it's unbeatable. On a wet day it's rather bleak.

Allow a couple of hours for the round trip from the car park, longer if you're dawdling or bringing young legs who tire easily. It's free to visit, which is just as well because there are no facilities up top. Spring and autumn are best - summer can get muggy, and winter wind whips across the exposed summit.

If you're based at nearby Esme's Escape or Thorney Lakes, it makes a solid morning or afternoon excursion to break up a park holiday. The walks aren't strenuous enough to dominate your day, but they're proper enough to feel like you've earned the view.