East Harts Hill

The walk up East Harts Hill rewards you with proper Pennine views - wide, generous vistas across North Yorkshire that stretch for miles on a clear day. It's not a dramatic peak, but that's rather the point. There's something honest about it; no pretence, just moorland and sky.

You'll find walkers here, mostly. The sort who know the Dales already and want something straightforward without the tourist crowds that pile onto the bigger names. The terrain is manageable even in rougher conditions, though it can be boggy after rain - decent boots matter. Allow a couple of hours for a steady there-and-back from Skipton, or make it part of a longer loop if you're feeling ambitious.

It works brilliantly if you're based at one of the local campsites. Coxons Farm Glamping Pods is barely three miles away, and Draughton Heights Campsite closer still - you can be up and down in a morning, then spend the afternoon exploring Skipton's market or having a nose around the Yorkshire Dales proper. Bolton Abbey Estate, five minutes further east, puts you in reach of some genuinely stunning water walks alongside the Wharfe.

The peak itself costs nothing - it's open access land, no entrance fees, no nonsense. There's no café or facilities at the top, so take what you need. It's not the sort of place that'll have your kids demanding ice cream halfway through, which counts as a win in my book. Just honest moorland walking, the way it should be.