Kelbrook Moor

The walk up Kelbrook Moor from Colne takes you through proper Lancashire moorland - the sort of place where the weather changes three times before you reach the top. It's not a dramatic fell, more of a steady climb through bracken and rough grass with the kind of views that make sense once you're up there rather than before. On a clear day you get Pendle Hill to the south and the sprawl of industrial Lancashire beyond, which sounds grim but actually works. The moor itself is honest terrain - no trickery, no false summits. Takes most walkers about ninety minutes round trip depending on which route you pick from the base.

This is walker country, pure and simple. Families with older kids who don't mind a bit of bog and aren't after an ice cream reward at the top will find it worthwhile. History types might appreciate that you're on the edges of Pendle's reach, though Kelbrook itself is more about the walk than the story. The ground can be boggy in wet weather, so proper boots matter. Free to access, obviously - it's moorland.

Pitch yourself at Shay Gate Farm Campsite less than two miles away and you've got a solid base for exploring this corner of the Pennines. Thornton Hall Country Park sits just under three miles south if you want something with more facilities. The moor works best on a crisp autumn morning when the air's clean and you can actually see something.