Bollihope Carrs

The walk up to Bollihope Carrs is proper moorland terrain - rough grass, exposed stone, the sort of place where the wind gets going and doesn't stop. It's a peak in the northern Pennines near Bishop Auckland, and once you've climbed it, you get views that stretch right across Durham's high country. Nothing fancy, nothing manicured. Just hills rolling away in every direction and the kind of silence you don't get often anymore.

This is walker territory, full stop. The terrain demands decent boots and a head for heights in places, though you're not talking technical scrambling. Families with younger kids will find it tough going, but teenagers who actually like being outdoors will get something real from it. Allow a good three hours for a round trip depending on your route and fitness. Best done in dry weather when the ground isn't boggy.

There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no entrance fee - it's just access to open moorland. That's both the appeal and the reality of it. You're getting the Pennines as they actually are, not as someone's decided to present them. If you're staying at one of the caravan parks dotted around Bishop Auckland - White House & Hagg Bridge is closest at under two miles away - this makes a proper day walk. Westgate Caravan & Camping Site, about four miles out, works too. Pair it with a visit to nearby beauty spots and you've got a genuine hiking day sorted.