Billinge North Top

The walk up Billinge North Top rewards you with proper views across Lancashire's industrial heart and beyond. It's modest by mountain standards - just 177 metres - but the exposure on the climb and the generous sightlines make it feel more substantial than the numbers suggest.

You'll find moorland bog underfoot and a trig point at the summit where locals clearly gather often. The path is well-trodden but can get squelchy after rain, so decent boots matter. On a clear day you're looking out towards the Pennines, and the contrast between the wild upland and the towns sprawling below is genuinely striking. Skelmersdale sits close by to the south, so this works as an easy escape from suburban clutter.

It's a walker's spot rather than a family picnic destination, though determined children with decent knees won't struggle - give it ninety minutes there and back if you take your time. The real draw is that it's undeniably quiet. You won't queue. You probably won't see many people at all.

If you're glamping at The Secret Garden nearby, it's an obvious morning outing before breakfast, or an afternoon stretch of the legs. Pack layers though - the exposure makes wind bite harder than you'd expect at this height. Not dramatic, not difficult, but genuinely worth doing if you're in the area.