Hambleton Hill

A steep scramble up from the Nidderdale valley gets you to this Iron Age fort with views that justify the huffing and puffing. The hillfort itself - a concentric ring of earthworks - is subtle rather than dramatic, but once you're up there the North Yorkshire moorland spreads out properly. You can see why our ancestors picked this spot: defendable, vantage point, nowhere for trouble to sneak up on you.

The walk from Nidderdale is the draw here more than any reconstructed ramparts or visitor centre. It's a proper climb with bits of scrambling, so save this for families with kids old enough not to need carrying. The views aren't universally stunning - on a grey day it's brown hills stretching to more brown hills - but that's moorland for you. Worth the trip if you're already based near Harrogate and fancy a half-day walk with some actual history attached rather than just tramping up a fell.

Allow two to three hours return from the valley bottom, depending on fitness and how long you spend at the summit reading the landscape. Summer's better than winter when the ground gets boggy. Free to visit, obviously - it's just a hill with old earthworks. If you're staying at Woodhouse Farm Holiday Park nearby, it makes a proper outing without needing to travel far. The site combines decent walking infrastructure with genuine archaeological interest, which beats many peak-bagging exercises round here.