Hipswell Bottom Park

The walk down into Hipswell Bottom catches you off guard. One minute you're on the flat Yorkshire moorland, the next you're descending into this proper ravine with steep wooded banks on either side. It's a nature reserve just outside Richmond, and honestly, it's the kind of place you'd walk straight past if you didn't know it was there.

What makes it worth stopping for is the sheer drop in landscape. The beck runs through the bottom - small, babbling, nothing dramatic - but the woodland around it is thick and green. You get real woodland walks here, the kind where the canopy blocks out most of the sky and everything smells of damp earth and leaf litter. Good for spotting birds and butterflies if you're that way inclined, and the paths are straightforward enough that it won't frustrate you.

It's perfect if you're staying at Kiplin Country Park nearby and fancy a morning out on foot. Allow an hour or so to wander down and back up without rushing. The steep banks mean it's not ideal for very small children or anyone with mobility issues, but for families who enjoy a proper walk, it beats staring at another gift shop in Richmond town centre.

The reality is this isn't a destination in itself. But if you're in North Yorkshire for a longer stay, especially around Richmond, it's a solid leg-stretcher that reminds you why the Dales landscape works so well - all that drama tucked into the ordinary moorland.