Hannah's Meadows

Just outside Barnard Castle, Hannah's Meadows is one of those places that rewards a proper walk rather than a quick drive-by. It's a working landscape of fields and grassland - the kind of spot where you actually notice the seasons changing, where the wildflowers shift from spring yellows to summer purples without fanfare.

What you're really doing here is walking. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop, no ticketed experience. You come for the meadows themselves, for the way the ground opens up and lets you breathe. Families with younger kids might find an hour enough, though walkers with proper boots will stretch it to two or three. The paths are straightforward enough, though the terrain can be muddy after rain - standard Durham moorland stuff.

Historically, these meadows matter. This is old farming country, and the landscape tells that story if you know how to read it. It's the sort of place that appeals more to people who enjoy walking for walking's sake rather than those after a destination with views and a cafe.

Staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Mickleton Mill or Leekworth are closest at under four miles - gives you easy access for morning or evening walks without the faffing about. It's a solid addition to a Durham holiday if you're already exploring Barnard Castle and the Teesdale area. Go in late spring or early summer when the meadows are actually worth photographing.