Birk Hill Scar

The walk up to Birk Hill Scar rewards you with proper views across the Swaledale valley - the kind that make you stop mid-stride and just stare for a moment. It's a forest trail that climbs steadily through woodland before opening out onto open moorland, where the escarpment drops away and you can see for miles across North Yorkshire.

This is walkers' territory, really. The route itself is straightforward enough but it's the views that justify the effort, particularly on clear days when you can pick out the surrounding hills and the valley floor below Richmond. Most people will spend a couple of hours here including the walk up and time to catch their breath at the top. It's not a stroll - there's genuine elevation gain - but it's not a serious fell walk either.

Winter can make the paths a bit boggy, so spring through autumn works better. The forest itself is fine but fairly standard; what makes this worth the trip is the scar itself and that sudden transition from woodland to open air with the landscape falling away beneath you.

If you're based at Usha Gap Farm & Campsite just down the road, this makes an excellent half-day outing. Cherish Glamping over near Leyburn is further afield but still within striking distance. Pop into Richmond afterwards - it's close enough for a proper wander around the old market town.