Gold Hill

The walk up Gold Hill from Northallerton takes you through proper countryside, the kind where you can actually hear yourself think. It's a modest peak by Yorkshire standards - nothing that'll leave you gasping - but the views across the Vale of Mowbray from the top make the climb worthwhile. On a clear day you can see right across to the Pennines, which is the sort of payoff that keeps you going when your legs start complaining halfway up.

It's ideal if you're after a morning walk with real purpose rather than a gentle potter. Allow two hours there and back, depending on your pace and how long you linger at the summit. The path itself is straightforward enough, though it can get a bit muddy after rain - typical Yorkshire fell walking, nothing dramatic.

Families with capable walkers will get on fine here. It's not so gruelling that children lose interest, and the views give you that genuine sense of achievement. History buffs might find the area interesting for its links to the broader landscape rather than specific monuments.

If you're staying at Whorlton Pods just up the road or Cote Ghyll Caravan Park over near Swainby, Gold Hill slots in perfectly as a morning expedition before breakfast or a late afternoon walk when the light's best. Free to visit, naturally - there's nothing commercial about it, just good honest fell walking within easy reach of Northallerton.