Westclose Hill

Standing 350 metres above sea level, this modest peak offers one of the finest viewpoints across the Somerset Levels without the crowds that plague its famous neighbour. You'll find Westclose Hill just outside Cheddar, making it a proper gem for anyone staying at the nearby holiday parks who fancies a decent walk with a payoff.

The climb isn't particularly taxing - maybe an hour's steady walk from the village - but you'll feel it in your legs if you're not used to Somerset's rolling terrain. Once at the top, the panorama stretches across the flat patchwork of the Levels towards Glastonbury Tor on a clear day. It's the sort of view that makes you understand why people bang on about Somerset's countryside.

Families with older children will manage the ascent fine, though toddlers might struggle with the steeper sections. Keen walkers often use it as part of longer routes across the Mendip Hills. The lack of facilities means bringing water and snacks, but that's half the appeal - proper countryside walking without the gift shop nonsense.

For those based at Bucklegrove Holiday Park or any of the other sites dotted around Cheddar, it makes for a cracking morning or afternoon out. The hill provides a nice contrast to the tourist hustle of Cheddar Gorge, and you'll likely have the summit largely to yourself.