Cow Hill

The walk up Cow Hill from Clitheroe is proper straightforward and the views across the Ribble Valley make it worth the leg-work. You're looking at a modest peak rather than a dramatic fell - it's roughly 400 metres - but don't let that fool you. The route from town takes you through farmland and onto open moorland, and on a clear day you can see all the way across to Pendle Hill. Takes about 90 minutes return at a normal pace, which makes it ideal if you're staying at one of the local holiday parks like Hedgerow Luxury Glamping or Peaks and Pods and want a proper walk without spending your entire afternoon on it.

It's free to walk, obviously, and you won't find crowds up here even during school holidays. The terrain's mostly good underfoot, though it gets boggy in places after rain, so proper boots matter. Families with older kids will manage it fine; little ones under eight might grumble a bit on the way back down. History types will appreciate that you can see Clitheroe's castle from the top, and the surrounding landscape tells you everything about how this part of Lancashire has been shaped.

Go early if you can. The afternoon light's lovely for photographs, but the morning gives you better visibility. If you're doing a few days in the Ribble Valley - and there's definitely enough in the area to justify it - this works perfectly as a morning jaunt before heading to Thornton Hall Country Park or exploring the towns. It's not dramatic or showy, but it's honest fell-walking, and that's worth something.