High Tree Field Hill

The walk up High Tree Field Hill isn't exactly a secret, but it's the sort of spot locals know and visitors often miss. From Clitheroe, it's a straightforward ramble that rewards you with proper views across the Ribble Valley - the kind of panorama that makes you understand why people choose to holiday in Lancashire rather than just drive through it.

It's a modest peak by Lake District standards, but that's rather the point. You won't spend half the day queuing or negotiating crowds. The approach is accessible enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might need a hand on steeper sections. Allow an hour or so from Clitheroe town centre depending on your fitness and how often you stop to look back down the valley.

What makes this worth doing is the genuine sense of open countryside. On a clear day you get real depth to the landscape - that quality of light that only works when you're standing on actual ground rather than looking at it from a car park. It's free, naturally, and works brilliantly if you're staying at any of the holiday parks dotted around the valley - Parkdean Resorts Todber Valley or Holgates Ribble Valley are closest at under two miles. Even Thornton Hall, a couple of miles further out, makes this an easy morning outing before lunch.

Go midweek if you can. The weekend types tend to stick to the honey-pot spots, which leaves the hill feeling properly yours.