Bristol

The rolling Mendip Hills drop down to farmland here, where ancient boundary stones mark territories that feudal lords once squabbled over. This slice of North Somerset feels properly rural despite Bristol's sprawl creeping ever closer - though Bristol Airport's runway lights remind you civilisation isn't far away.

Goblin Combe cuts a dramatic gorge through the limestone, its wooded slopes hiding caves like Yorkhouse Cave that Victorian explorers once crawled through by candlelight. The name sounds like something from Middle Earth, and locals have clearly embraced the fantasy theme - witness the viewpoints dubbed Elrond and The Black Riders perched on the hillsides.

Wrington's All Saints Church anchors the area's more conventional history. A proper Somerset village church, it's seen centuries of baptisms and burials while the hills around it barely changed. Speaking of ancient things, The Waterstone Burial Chamber predates the church by millennia - these Bronze Age folk knew a good spot when they saw one.

Cleeve Hill and Cleeve Toot offer cracking walks with views across the Somerset Levels. On clear days you can see the Bristol Channel glinting in the distance. The walking here is gentle rather than challenging - perfect for families who fancy a proper countryside ramble without the drama of Dartmoor or the Lakes.

Getting here is straightforward enough. You're a twenty-minute drive from central Bristol, with the M5 providing easy access from further afield. The area sits between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol, making it handy for day trips in either direction. Staying at one of the local parks puts you right in the thick of Mendip country while keeping urban amenities within reach.