Axe Edge

The walk up Axe Edge is a proper lung-buster, but you'll understand why once you're standing at 551 metres looking across the Cheshire and Derbyshire borders. It's not a dramatic peak - no jagged rocks or sudden drops - but the moorland plateau gives you something rare: genuine solitude and genuinely big views when the weather plays ball.

Most people approach from near Buxton, and it's the kind of place that rewards an early start. The path gets boggy in patches, so proper boots matter more than you'd think for what looks like a gentle moorland ramble. Allow a good two hours for the round trip if you're not racing.

Walkers get the most from this one. It's too exposed and lengthy for small children, but teenagers who don't mind a bit of rough ground will find it satisfying. History buffs might find the Bronze Age barrows scattered across the moorland interesting, though there's not much interpretation on site.

Stay at Peak Glamping Hideaway or the Buxton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite - both are barely more than a couple of miles away - and you could tackle this early, then spend the afternoon exploring the broader Peak District landscape. The moorland itself is free and open access, which is the main appeal. No café, no facilities, just you, the wind, and the view. That's exactly the point.