National Trust - Leith Hill

The tower at Leith Hill is one of those landmarks you spot from miles around - a proper red-brick folly rising 64 feet above Surrey's highest point. At 965 metres, it's hardly Alpine, but the walk up rewards you with views that stretch across three counties on a clear day. The tower itself was built in 1766 by Richard Hull, a local landowner who apparently wanted to reach 1,000 feet and decided to cheat a bit.

It's National Trust-managed, so expect well-maintained woodland paths and proper signage. The climb inside the tower is steep and narrow - definitely not for anyone with vertigo - but the 360-degree views from the top make the scramble worthwhile. On a decent afternoon, you can pick out Box Hill and even glimpses of the South Downs.

Walkers will make a proper day of it. The surrounding woodland is threaded with trails ranging from gentle woodland loops to more ambitious hikes into the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Families with younger kids might find the tower itself more compelling than the walks - it's a bit of a novelty, climbing into a Victorian folly. Allow a couple of hours minimum if you're just doing the tower and immediate area; half a day if you're exploring properly.

Given the concentration of glamping and camping nearby - The Green Escape is barely over a mile away, and Surrey Hills Yurts sits at 2.6 miles - Leith Hill works perfectly as a morning or afternoon excursion from a Surrey Hills base. Dorking's close enough for supplies and lunch. Go midweek if possible; weekends pull the crowds.