Bog Heights

The walk up Bog Heights from Blackburn isn't long, but it's steep enough to get your heart pumping. You're looking at moorland views that stretch across Lancashire once you reach the top - nothing dramatic, but on a clear day proper rewarding. The peak itself is modest; there's no café, no facilities, just open fell and the kind of quiet you don't get near towns.

This is a walker's spot. Families with young legs will manage it fine if they're used to hills, though you won't find anything to occupy kids once you're up there. History buffs won't find much - it's straightforward fell terrain. What you get is the walk itself, the rhythm of it, and views that remind you Lancashire has its rough, open corners.

Go early if you can, especially weekends. The car park situation near Blackburn fills up, and you want that alone-on-the-moor feeling. Forty minutes up, thirty down if you're steady. It's free, no gates or nonsense.

If you're staying at Northwood Caravan & Holiday Park just outside town, this makes a decent half-day sortie. Not a headline attraction, but honest work for a few hours. On grey days it's a bit bleak; save it for when weather's on your side.