Cringle Moor

The walk up Cringle Moor rewards you with views across North Yorkshire that stretch for miles in every direction - moorland rolling away, the vale below, and on a clear day you can see right across to the Cleveland Hills. It's a proper peak, 1,267 feet of proper Yorkshire, accessible from near Northallerton without requiring mountaineering skills or a four-hour slog.

Most people tackle this as a circular walk from the village of Swainby, taking a good two hours at a steady pace. The route climbs through woodland before opening onto open moorland - that transition moment where trees drop away and suddenly you're exposed to the elements is why people come here. The summit itself has an Iron Age fort, which adds a bit of weight to the scramble if you're into that sort of thing. You won't find a café or visitor centre - it's just moorland and sky and the wind in your ears.

Walkers absolutely get their money's worth from this one. Families with capable legs will manage it fine, though younger children might find the final stretch tedious. History buffs will appreciate the earthworks, but frankly you're here for the walking and the views, not the archaeology.

Cringle Moor works brilliantly as part of a bigger walking holiday. Whorlton Pods sits just three miles away - glamping pods if you want something more comfortable than a tent - while Cote Ghyll Caravan Park lies within easy reach for a traditional base. You could string together a few North York Moors walks across a week without repeating yourself.