Billy Hill

The walk up Billy Hill rewards you with proper views across County Durham the moment you reach the top. It's not a grueling trek - the peak sits just outside Bishop Auckland and most people manage it in under an hour from the car park, though you'll want to allow time to stand about and actually look at the landscape before heading back down.

What you get is a straightforward fell walk with the kind of uncluttered vista that makes you understand why people bother with hiking at all. On a clear day the Pennines stretch out to the west, and you can trace the lie of the land all the way across to the industrial heritage sites that pepper this part of Durham. The summit itself is modest - no café, no visitor center, no crowds - which is rather the point.

Walkers will get genuine mileage from this one, especially if you're basing yourself at Bradley Burn or Witton Castle caravan parks nearby. It's the sort of walk that works well as a morning outing before exploring Bishop Auckland itself, or as a leg-stretcher between longer expeditions. Families with kids who can manage a gentle incline will find it manageable, though there's not much to hold younger children's attention once you're up there beyond the views.

The walk is free and accessible year-round, though winter can make the ground boggy and visibility temperamental. Spring or autumn are your best bets for clear skies and firm underfoot conditions.