Britain might be short of mountains, but there are still plenty of high tops and ancient hillforts from which to survey the surrounding land. Climbing up above the rest of the world is a true escape from the everyday, and as the world shrinks below, so we regain new perspective on life. As dusk falls go for a night-exploration, and on a clear night lie back and count the galaxies for an hour or two. Here, the authors of the new Wild Guide to Southern and Eastern England reveal the top ten places to view the best sunsets:
Wild Guide
Dunwich Heath, Minsmere Beach
Minsmere beach offers beautiful sand and shingle beach bordered by lagoons, heather and birdlife. Vivid with pinks and purples in summer, this tranquil heathland supports nightjars and the rare Dartford warbler - listen for both around the gorse bushes on a summer's evening. Also look for deer, rare ant lions and adders, or visit in winter for short-eared owls.
¾ mile west of Dunwich (Ship Inn IP17 3DT, 01728 648219) turn left, signed for Dunwich Heath. Continue 1½ miles past Beach View/Cliff House camping (IP17 3DQ, 01728 648282) to NT car park (£8) with tea room (01728 648501). Or walk in from Dunwich along thebeach (30 mins). 5 mins, 52.2506 1.629
Whitstable Beach
Right on the beach, the Old Neptune pub retains a wonderful sense of the seafaring past and is the perfect place to watch the sunset across Whitstable beach. Rebuilt from reclaimed timbers after a storm in 1897, it was the setting for the closure of the film Venus, which earned Peter O'Toole his last Oscar nomination.
Island Wall, Marine Terrace, CT5 1EJ, 01227 272262. 51.3589, 1.0201
Ivinghoe Beacon
This prominent and famous green wedge gives panoramic views over the Vale of Ayelsbury and Ashridge Estate. End point of Ridgeway walk and start of Icknield Way.
From Ivinghoe, take B489 towards Dunstable. Take the first right, signed Ivinghoe Beacon. Footpaths lead left off the road. Take the footpath right 300m for quieter Steps Hill (great spots to bivvy-out and stargaze) or continue on lane to find lots of parking and picnic spots (51.8327, -0.6085). 5 mins, 51.8416, -0.6068
Beacon Hill, Ellesborough
This perfectly shaped hill is quieter than many other high-tops in the area. A lovely short walk with excellent views and sunsets. On its western flank is the site of Cymbeline's Castle, fondly held to be the seat of an ancient Celtic king. A footpath leads up the hill from opposite Ellesborough church (HP17 0XG) - not the track, but the path by the telegraph pole. The Prime Minister's Chequers is just behind the hill. 10 mins, 51.7490, -0.7925
Brighton Old Pier, Murmurations
Throughout autumn and winter evenings, watch the breathtaking spectacle of some 40,000 starlings wheeling and swooping in unison to create huge ribbons and pulsing swirls as they come in to roost above the burnt-out West Pier. Although in town, this is one of the best mumurations to be seen in the country.
Fantastic views on winter evenings, all along the beach near the West Pier (BN1 2FA). The murmurations can start as early as 4pm. Hove end is somewhat quieter if the beach feels crowded. 1 min, 50.8209, -0.1500
Firle Beacon
Ancient Bronze Age barrow right on top of the downs. Popular for paragliding, with secluded spots away from the South Downs Way for watching the sunset over the distant sea. The Ram Inn three miles away (BN8 6NS 01273 858222) makes a great Sunday pub walk.
There are numerous footpaths here, and a choice of car parks right on the downs. Perhaps the closest is Bopeep car park (BN8 6PA, 50.8258, 0.1193) at the end of Bopeep Bostal. From here, follow the South Downs Way north west for 1 mile to reach the summit. 20 mins, 50.8336, 0.1080
Uffington Hill Fort and White Horse
Oxfordshire's highest point, with views of six counties and a huge stylised horse etched into its upper slopes. Signed off B4507, 2 miles south of Uffington, on Dragon Hill Rd (near SN7 7QJ). 500m north west is The Manger, fluted slopes left by the last Ice Age. The Ridgeway route above connects to Wayland's Smithy and Alfred's Castle too. 10 mins, 51.5775, -1.5664
Hampstead Heath Tumulus
Here you can find nearly 800 acres of heath, meadow and ancient woodland to explore, formally protected by Act of Parliament in 1871. Find the hollow beech that you can climb into, or the ruined rose pergola walk. The old Duelling Ground in South Wood is exactly 40 paces wide, and was one of London's most notorious duelling sites in the 18th and 19th centuries. The best sunsets can be viewed from Parliament Hill.
The tumulus is at the heart of the Heath, with good views and long meadow grass in summer. From Millfield Lane (N6 6JD, off Highgate West Hill) follow the cycle path across the Heath with the tumulus right, into the woods, turning right and following path north west to find the famous hollow beech about 50m before the mock Tudor toilets. The entrance to the ruins of the rose pergola walk are found behind Jack Straw's castle.
15 mins, 51.5629, -0.1637
Deacon Hill and Pegsdon Hills
John Bunyan found his 'Delectable Mountains' in these steep chalk valleys and hills. Find glow-worms on summer evenings, see rare skipper butterflies, and look for bats at sunset or sunrise. There is a pretty chalk stream at Barton Hill. From Hexton (Live & Let Live Country Inn, SG5 3JX) head ½ mile east on B655 to parking area on right. Walk south west along the Icknield Way for 600m, to where Deacon Hill rises to the right. Continue for less than a mile to Telegraph Hill or explore the woods and hills of the Pegsdon nature reserve to the right. From Hexton head west to follow stream from end of cemetery at Barton-le-Clay (MK45 4LA) up to Barton Hills (51.9544, -0.4194). 10 mins, 51.9572, -0.3535
Old Winchester Hill
Chalk hill with an Iron Age hillfort and a Bronze Age cemetery at summit, where you are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Isle of Wight on clear days. Two long-distance footpaths, South Downs Way and Monarch's Way, cross the summit. Signposted south east from A32 in Warnford (SO32 3LD) on Hayden Lane. Park in the small car park right about ¼ mile after Old Winchester Hill Lane joins on the left. Follow South Downs Way ¾ mile to summit. 15 mins, 50.9806, -1.0875
The Wild Guide (£15.99, Wild Things Publishing) is published 17th May and features over 1000 wild places to explore, eat and stay in southern and eastern England. A South West edition is also available. From www.wildthingspublishing.com
Wild Guide: Southern and Eastern England by Daniel Start, Elsa Hammond and Lucy Grewcock (WildThingsPublishing.com, £15.99) is available from all good bookshops.
Female First readers get 30% off the price of the book, with free UK delivery (so £11.20 instead of £15.99). You just need to head to www.wildthingspublishing.com and enter 'Female First' as your coupon code.