Winscombe

Standing at the foot of the Mendip Hills, this North Somerset village offers proper walking country without the tourist crowds. Winscombe sits in a valley where limestone hills rise dramatically on three sides, creating an amphitheatre of green that feels surprisingly wild for somewhere so accessible from Bristol.

Crook Peak dominates the eastern skyline, its Iron Age hillfort commanding views across the Somerset Levels to Glastonbury Tor on clear days. The climb up is steep but manageable, and you'll likely have the summit to yourself on weekday mornings. Wavering Down and Sandford Hill provide gentler alternatives, both offering cracking panoramas without the lung-busting ascent.

Underground, the area reveals its geological secrets through a network of caves that rival nearby Cheddar. Bone Cave and Barton Cave are less commercialised than their famous neighbour, though you'll need proper gear and local knowledge to explore safely. The mysterious Mangle Hole adds intrigue to any hillside ramble.

For families, Benthills Wood provides easy woodland walks with well-marked trails. The RAFLAA Monument offers a poignant reminder of wartime aviation history, while curious features like The Cart Wash and Alcove Seat hint at centuries of local use.

Getting here is straightforward - the A38 runs right past, making it barely 20 minutes from Bristol or Weston-super-Mare. The village itself is quiet, with a proper pub and basic amenities, but most visitors come for the outdoors.

Basing yourself at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're ideally placed for exploring both the Mendips and the coast, with Cheddar Gorge just down the road and the seaside resorts of Weston and Burnham-on-Sea within easy reach.