Bear Head

The walk up Bear Head is a proper job - steep in places, but the views across Wensleydale from the top make every grunt worthwhile. You're looking at the whole valley spread below you, with the Pennine ridges rolling away into the distance. It's the kind of spot where the air feels cleaner just for being there.

This is walkers' territory. Families with young kids might struggle with the ascent, but anyone with decent fitness and proper boots will manage it fine. Plan on two to three hours there and back from Hawes, depending on pace. There's no charge, no visitor centre, no cafe - just the fell and the weather. That's rather the point.

Go early if you can. The midday crowds heading up from town thin out by late afternoon, and the light's often better anyway. Winter can be grim - wind and cloud roll in quick - so check conditions before setting out.

If you're based at Stablefell Holidays or Hawes Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, both within walking distance of town, you've got yourself a proper base for tackling this and the other peaks around here. Wensleydale's got plenty of routes, but Bear Head rewards effort with genuine grandeur. It's not the flashiest fell in Yorkshire, but it's honest terrain and the views don't lie.