Skenchill

Getting to Skenchill means a proper walk through Gloucestershire countryside, and you'll earn those views. It's a modest peak by any standard, but that's rather the point - this isn't about summiting something dramatic. What you get instead is a genuine vantage point over the Forest of Dean and towards the Welsh hills beyond, the kind of panorama that makes sense of why people bothered walking up in the first place.

The approach from Hereford is straightforward enough, though you'll want proper footwear and a decent map or phone signal. Allow a couple of hours there and back depending on your pace and how long you linger at the top. It's the sort of place walkers appreciate far more than casual visitors - if you're after a five-minute photo stop, you'll wonder why you bothered. Stay longer and watch the light change across the valleys.

If you're camping in the area - Trippenkennett Farm is closest at under three miles away, with Doward Park and Bracelands also nearby - Skenchill makes a solid half-day excursion. It pairs well with a broader Forest of Dean circuit. The peak itself is free (being, well, a peak), and there's nothing commercially arranged at the top. Go when the weather's clear; there's no point arriving in drizzle. Early morning or late afternoon light transforms the walk entirely.