Elvet Hill

The walk up Elvet Hill is a proper leg-stretcher, especially if you're staying at one of the caravan parks dotted around Durham. It's a short, steep climb from the city itself - nothing technical, just relentlessly uphill - but the effort pays off with views across the Wear Valley and back towards Durham Cathedral perched on its peninsula.

This isn't a mountain. It's more of a local's escape route than a destination hike, which is exactly why it works. Twenty minutes of huffing and you're up, standing on open grassland with the medieval cathedral and castle framed nicely below. On a clear day you can see right across the surrounding countryside.

Walkers will appreciate it most, particularly families wanting a quick outing without committing to hours on a trail. The climb is steep enough to feel like proper exercise but brief enough that restless kids won't kick up too much fuss. Bring a flask and a sit-down. The view's worth five minutes of peace and quiet.

There's no visitor centre or facilities up top - this is bare-bones stuff - which keeps it refreshingly uncommercial. Free to access, naturally. Plan for an hour there and back if you're not rushed, longer if you want to linger and actually look at the landscape instead of just gasping for breath.

If you're based at Durham Grange, Grove Farm, or Finchale Abbey for a park holiday, this deserves a morning slot. It's close enough not to eat your day, satisfying enough to feel like you've done something, and the descent is genuinely pleasant.