Kite Hill

The walk up Kite Hill, just outside Stanley, rewards you with proper views across County Durham's rolling landscape. It's not a massive peak - you're looking at a straightforward walk rather than a proper fell expedition - but the effort pays off once you're up top.

The hill itself is moorland, wind-bitten and open, with the sort of 360-degree perspective that makes you forget how close you are to a working town. On a clear day you can pick out the distinct shape of the surrounding countryside; on a cloudy one, you get moody and atmospheric instead. There's a path worn up the side, nothing treacherous, though it can get muddy after rain.

This is walkers' territory, pure and simple. Families with older kids will manage it fine. If you've got toddlers expecting a pushchair-friendly stroll, you'll want somewhere else. Allow a couple of hours there and back, maybe longer if you're stopping to sit at the summit with a flask.

Kite Hill fits nicely into a wider County Durham adventure. Beamish Glamping sits just 5 miles away, so you could base yourself there and explore the whole area on foot. The hill's close enough to Stanley to grab supplies before heading out, but far enough that you actually feel like you've gone somewhere when you're standing up top. It's the sort of spot you'd revisit if the weather was good - not for monuments or facilities, but for the simple pleasure of being somewhere with a view.