North Wessex Downs National Landscape

The North Wessex Downs sweep across Berkshire in great rolling waves of chalk grassland and beech woodland. This isn't a single destination you tick off - it's the landscape itself, stretching for miles either side of Hungerford, and it's genuinely one of the most rewarding areas for walking in the South East.

What you're really doing here is moving through open downland, past ancient burial mounds, through hanging woods where the light filters green through the leaves. The views are proper expansive - on a clear day you can see for miles. Walkers absolutely thrive here. There are proper trails marked out, some gentle enough for families with younger kids, others that'll test your legs properly.

Historians will find their feet twitching. This landscape is layered with it - Iron Age hill forts, Neolithic long barrows, medieval villages tucked into valleys. You're walking where people have walked for thousands of years. The quiet of it gets to you after a bit.

There's no admission charge, no gates, no visitor centre. Just you and the downs. That's both the appeal and the catch - you need to know roughly where you're going or have an OS map. Spring and early autumn are cracking times to visit; summer can get muggy under the tree canopy. Allow anywhere from a couple of hours for a short circuit to a full day if you're serious about it.

If you're staying at Lorne Hill Farm just outside Hungerford, this is literally your backyard. The park sits perfectly positioned for exploring the area without needing to drive anywhere.