Bassett Dale

The walk up Bassett Dale rewards you with views across the North Yorkshire moors that justify every muddy step. It's a proper fell walk rather than a casual stroll - steep enough to get your heart going, but nothing that requires serious mountaineering kit.

Once you're up there, the landscape opens out in all directions. On a clear day you can see for miles across the rolling moorland, with Pickering sitting in the valley below. The dale itself is a geological feature worth noting - carved out over millennia and showing you the bones of the landscape in a way that flat walks simply can't.

This is the sort of place walkers come back to repeatedly. The route isn't long enough to dominate your entire day, which means it works brilliantly as part of a wider exploration of the North York Moors. Families with older children will manage it fine; younger ones might find it a bit much. Come in late afternoon when the light turns golden across the peaks, or early morning if you want solitude.

Stay nearby at one of the excellent glamping spots - Wolds Walk or Lahtle Wood are both superb - or base yourself at Vale of Pickering Caravan Park if you want a traditional setup. The proximity to Pickering means you've got proper services, tea shops, and other moorland walks within easy reach. It's the sort of location that rewards a few days rather than a flying visit.