Black Hill

The walk up Black Hill from Haltwhistle is steep and unforgiving, but the views across Northumberland justify every laboured breath. This isn't a gentle ramble - it's a proper climb that takes the best part of two hours depending on fitness and which route you take from the town below.

Once you're up there, the landscape opens out. You get sight lines south towards the Pennines and north across the moorland that makes this corner of Northumberland so compelling. On a clear day it's genuinely worth the effort. On a grey one, which is half the time, it's atmospheric rather than spectacular, but that's fell walking for you.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's not a destination for idle wandering - you need proper boots and a bit of determination. The summit isn't dramatically marked or scenic in the Instagram sense; it's just the high point of moorland that carries on for miles. That's precisely why it works. No crowds, no railings, no visitor centre nonsense.

If you're based at Haltwhistle Camping and Caravanning Club Site (about forty minutes away by car), Black Hill makes a solid morning or afternoon excursion. Combine it with time exploring Hadrian's Wall, which runs not far from Haltwhistle itself. The town has cafes and pubs worth knowing about for afterwards. Allow three to four hours total. Free, naturally - it's just a hill.