Hollow Gill Wood

A steep-sided wooded ravine cut deep into the Pennine landscape, Hollow Gill Wood sits just outside Settle and rewards walkers willing to scramble down into its narrow confines. The gill itself - that's the watercourse, for those unfamiliar with northern terminology - runs through the wood, and the whole thing feels properly wild despite being barely a mile from town.

What you're doing here is essentially walking into a miniature gorge. Moss-covered rocks, an almost permanent damp smell, and trees pressing in from both sides create an atmosphere that feels far removed from the pastoral Dales countryside above. It's atmospheric rather than grand - don't expect dramatic waterfalls or vast vistas. But that's rather the point.

This works brilliantly for anyone who fancies a short woodland walk without committing to a full day's hiking. Thirty minutes is enough to get down, have a poke about, and scramble back up. It's free, obviously, and there's nothing to book or pay for. Families with older kids will manage it fine; very small ones might find the uneven ground tricky. Walkers heading to the limestone hills around Settle will find this a decent warm-up or cool-down jaunt.

If you're staying at Peaks and Pods, just a mile away, or any of the other campsites scattered about the area, it's worth fitting in on an afternoon when you can't face a proper expedition. Go when it's been dry for a few days - muddy underfoot is atmospheric; bog-like is tedious.