Crow Well Hill

The walk up Crow Well Hill is a proper little lung-buster if you're not expecting it, though the effort pays off once you're up top with views across the Harrogate area and beyond. It's not a towering peak - North Yorkshire's moorland hills rarely are - but what it lacks in altitude it makes up for in the sense of achievement when you crest it. The hill itself is fairly bare moorland, which means wind on exposed days but also clear sightlines if you're after proper vistas rather than woodland wandering.

This is one for walkers with decent fitness rather than casual strollers. Allow a couple of hours there and back, depending on your pace and how long you fancy lingering at the top. If you're staying at one of the local camping spots like Breaks Fold Farm Glamping or Catgill Farm, both within five miles, it makes a solid morning walk before heading into Harrogate itself for lunch. The summit's the kind of place where you'll want a decent camera - the light changes dramatically across the day, and on clearer afternoons you can pick out villages dotted across the dales.

There's no café up there, no visitor centre, no marked paths with signage. It's just you, the moor, and the weather Yorkshire wants to throw at you. Kids capable of a genuine hike will love the independence of it all, though younger legs might grumble. Free to access, naturally. Go midweek if you can - weekends get properly busy with Harrogate's weekend warriors.