Black Knowe

The walk up Black Knowe from near Hexham rewards you with proper views across Northumberland's rolling moorland. It's not a dramatic peak - more a steady climb through open country that takes about an hour or so depending on fitness and route choice. What you get at the top is a real sense of being somewhere wild, with the Tyne Valley spread out below and nothing but heather and grass in every direction.

This is the sort of walk that appeals to people who like being outdoors without needing scrambling or technical bits. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though the wind can be fierce up there so dress for it. You're looking at maybe two to three hours total if you take it steady, grab a sandwich, and actually enjoy the view rather than rushing.

Free to walk, naturally - it's open moorland. Timing-wise, avoid the wettest months if you can, but honestly any season works depending on what you want from it. Summer gives you the longest light and wildflowers on the lower slopes. Winter's brutal but clear days offer views for miles.

If you're staying at one of the Kielder parks - Kielder Campsite or Landal Kielder Waterside are closest, just a few miles away - Black Knowe makes a solid half-day outing before heading back to the forest. It breaks up a holiday where you might otherwise be doing lakeside walks or cycling the water's edge. Different landscape entirely, which is the point.