Penny Hill

A modest hill on the outskirts of Worcester that offers genuinely decent views across the Severn Valley if you can be bothered with the walk. It's not a tourist trap with visitor centres or gift shops - just a proper bit of countryside where you can actually think.

The climb itself takes about twenty minutes from the car park, and the path is well-trodden but occasionally muddy depending on the season. The summit rewards you with sight lines across the vale towards the Malverns on a clear day, and the surrounding farmland spreads out rather nicely. Bring binoculars if you're into that sort of thing.

This works best for walkers and anyone after a straightforward leg-stretch rather than families with very young children - there's no playground or facilities to speak of, just the walk and the view. History types will note it's been a notable landmark for centuries, though there's precious little signage to tell you why.

It's free, obviously. Allow an hour total if you're pacing yourself, less if you're proper fit. Go mid-week in autumn when the light's golden and the crowds thin out. If you're staying at one of the local parks - Hidden England Escapes is nearest at just over three miles - Penny Hill makes a solid morning outing before lunch. Nothing fancy, but that's rather the point. Sometimes you just want a hill, a view, and air that doesn't taste of car fumes.