Windmill Hill

Standing 626 feet above the Mendip Hills, this ancient earthwork delivers views across the Somerset Levels that'll make you forget why you were complaining about the climb. Three concentric ditches and ramparts circle the summit - Bronze Age defences that archaeologists reckon date back 4,000 years. The walk up from Cheddar takes about 45 minutes through beech woods and open downland, though you can drive most of the way if mobility's an issue. Once you're up there, the panorama stretches from Glastonbury Tor to the Bristol Channel on clear days. History buffs will love poking about the earthworks and trying to imagine Iron Age life up here. Families with older kids should manage the trek fine, though toddlers might find it a slog. The site's free to explore year-round, though winter visits can be properly muddy and windswept. Allow at least two hours if you're walking from town - longer if you fancy a proper ramble along the Mendip ridgeway. From the holiday parks around Cheddar, including Bucklegrove Holiday Park and the Cheddar Camping and Caravanning Club Site, it makes a cracking half-day out. Just don't expect facilities at the top - bring water and check the weather. The exposed summit can be brutal when the wind's up, but on a good day it's one of Somerset's finest viewpoints.