Hayber Hill

The walk up Hayber Hill takes about forty minutes from Settle, and on a clear day it's absolutely worth every step. You get proper views across Ribblesdale and towards Pen-y-ghent - the kind of vista that reminds you why the Yorkshire Dales exist. It's not a technical climb by any means, more a steady plod through moorland with good paths underfoot, though the wind can be fierce up top when it decides to show up.

This works brilliantly for families with reasonably fit kids and for walkers who want something achievable without needing a full day. You could knock it out in two hours round trip, which leaves time for lunch in Settle afterwards. Solo hikers seem to love it as an early morning circuit before anything else gets crowded. History types will appreciate that you're walking through limestone country with centuries of quarrying heritage around you, though the hill itself isn't particularly ancient in any dramatic sense.

Start early if you're going in summer - the car parks near Settle fill up and the afternoon light gets a bit hazy. Spring and autumn are genuinely lovely up there, when the moorland colours are proper vivid. Winter is doable but can be boggy in patches after rain.

If you're staying at Ribblesdale Pods just down the road, this is an ideal warm-up walk before tackling something longer. The Dalesbridge Campsite and Orcaber Farm are both close enough that you could base yourself there and do Hayber Hill as part of a bigger Dales exploration. Free to access, naturally.