Brown Bank Head

Brown Bank Head rises above the moorland between Harrogate and Wharfedale, offering one of those sudden Yorkshire vistas that catches you off guard. It's not a dramatic summit - more of an elevated ridge with proper 360-degree views across the Dales. The walk up is straightforward enough, taking perhaps forty minutes from the nearest parking spots, and rewards you with sight lines stretching toward Pen-y-ghent and Whernside on a clear day.

This isn't a destination for sitting about with a thermos and a packed lunch, though plenty do. The appeal lies in the walk itself and the moment you realise how much landscape spreads out below. On busy weekends, you'll share the ridge with other walkers heading between Harrogate and the villages dotting Wharfedale - it's a natural through-route rather than a deadend peak. Families with older children will manage it fine; younger ones might find the moorland stretch a bit repetitive.

The time to come is late spring through early autumn, when the moorland isn't waterlogged and the views aren't drowning in cloud. Winter walks are possible but the wind can be properly fierce up there. It's free, obviously - just park and go.

If you're based at Breaks Fold Farm Glamping or Bolton Abbey Estate Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, Brown Bank Head sits within easy striking distance as a half-day outing. Pair it with a proper exploration of Wharfedale or the approaches to Bolton Abbey itself. It's the sort of walk that works best as part of a longer day out rather than an isolated trip.