Akebar Park Golf Course

You'll find Akebar Park Golf Course just outside Leyburn, a proper 18-hole setup that takes advantage of the rolling North Yorkshire landscape. The course sits on decent moorland terrain - nothing spectacular in terms of conditioning when I visited, but it does the job for a casual round. The views across the Dales aren't bad, though you're not paying premium rates for championship-level greens either.

It's genuinely a golfers' day out rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at Eastfield Glamping Farm or the Park Leisure holiday park nearby, both within easy reach, then popping over for nine or eighteen holes makes sense. A round takes a couple of hours minimum, longer if your handicap suggests it should. The course is straightforward enough for mid-range players but won't embarrass beginners - there are trickier holes if you want them, easier ones if you don't.

Non-golfers will find little here beyond a clubhouse. It's not the sort of place where you'd sit for hours admiring views. Green fees aren't extortionate for the area, though you'll want to check their website for current rates and whether you need to book ahead, especially weekends. The location works well as part of a broader Dales holiday rather than a solo trip - treat it as one activity among many, not the main event.