Ely Hill

The walk up Ely Hill from Settle takes about forty minutes if you're moving at a decent pace, and the payoff is genuinely solid - you get the kind of 360-degree Yorkshire views that make you understand why people move to this corner of the Dales and never leave. The peak itself isn't dramatic or knife-edge; it's more of a gentle rise that sneaks up on you, but once you're standing at the top looking across the Ribblesdale valley, it clicks why locals rate it.

This is proper walking country rather than a tourist attraction with facilities. There's no café, no visitor centre, no gift shop - just moorland, dry stone walls, and the sound of wind. If you're after a straightforward two-hour expedition with kids who don't need constant entertainment, it works well. Adults who like a quiet morning hike will find it more rewarding than the busier peaks nearby.

The route is straightforward enough that you won't need specialist kit, though it can be boggy in wet weather and the wind picks up fast at height. Go in clear weather if you can - the views stretch for miles toward Pendle Hill and beyond. Allow two to three hours return from Settle town centre.

If you're based at Ribblesdale Pods or Philpin Farm Campsite, both within a few miles, this makes an obvious morning excursion before heading down to explore Settle's market town charm or tackling something more ambitious in the surrounding fells. It's the kind of walk that feels like a proper discovery rather than ticking off a checklist.