Greenacres

For walks among ancient hill forts, Lambert's Castle and Coney's Castle are less than a mile apart, so you can easily explore them both in a day. Get a few more miles under your belt by setting off on foot – Lambert's Castle is a 35-minute walk from the site (or five minutes by car if that seems a tad ambitious). You can also follow the walking trails at Wayford Woods (15-minute drive) or look out for wildlife on woodland walks at Langdon Hill (20 minutes), perhaps pausing for a picnic along the way. Add some architecture to your walks with a wander around the spectacular Mapperton House & Gardens (20 minutes). If you’ve come in search of animal encounters, take your pick of getting up close and personal with deer, donkeys and llamas at the South West Deer Rescue & Study Centre (10 minutes), Stokewater Meadow Donkey Walking Days (15 minutes) and UK Llamas (15 minutes). Can’t decide? Head to Axe Valley Wildlife Park (15 minutes) for a mixed collection of creatures instead. Closer to home, Foxdown Farm is just over the road for hands-on encounters with farm animals, plus a small play area and café. For some sea breeze and stunning coastline views, Golden Cap (20 minutes) is well worth a visit – the highest point on the south coast, it’s England's only natural World Heritage Site, so it must certainly merit a visit.