Craigy Knowe

The walk up Craigy Knowe isn't long, but it's steep enough that you'll feel your legs by the time you reach the top. From Hexham, it's a proper little scramble - nothing technical, just relentless uphill through moorland that opens out as you climb. The view across Northumberland from the summit justifies the effort, though I'll be honest, it's not one of those mountains that stops you dead in your tracks. What it does offer is solitude. On a clear day you get genuine panoramic country - rolling hills, distant ridgelines, proper wild landscape without the crowds you'd find at bigger peaks.

Walkers will get the most out of this one. It's a decent half-day outing, maybe two hours round trip depending on fitness, which makes it ideal if you're based nearby and want something straightforward without the full expedition palaver. The moorland walking is pleasant enough, and in late summer the heather colours are worth the trip alone. Families with older kids would manage it fine, though younger ones might find the climb tedious.

If you're staying at Kielder Campsite just up the road, Craigy Knowe works as a morning activity before heading into Hexham proper for lunch. It's the sort of walk that proves you don't need dramatic height to have a proper day out. Free, clearly - it's a fell. Go early if the weather looks decent, as the mist rolls in quickly up here.