Birk Hill

The walk up Birk Hill rewards you with views across Swaledale that stretch for miles - proper rolling Yorkshire countryside on display. It's not particularly high or technically challenging, which makes it ideal if you're staying at one of the nearby campsites and want to stretch your legs without committing to a full day's expedition.

From the summit you get a genuine sense of the valley's shape and scale. The walk itself is straightforward enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might find the climb tedious depending on their mood and your legs. Allow a couple of hours return from Richmond, assuming a steady pace and time to catch your breath at the top.

What makes this more than just another moorland bump is its position relative to Swaledale - you're high enough to see proper distance, but not so high that the landscape below becomes abstract. On a clear day it's worth doing. On a drizzly afternoon it's just a wet walk up a hill, so pick your weather.

If you're camping at Usha Gap Farm just down the valley, Birk Hill is practically on your doorstep - less than two miles away. It works brilliantly as a half-morning outing before heading into Richmond for lunch, or a late afternoon ramble if you've got energy left. The glamping options further out at Cherish give you a bit more distance, but it's still an easy drive to the trailhead.