Ladder Hill

The climb up Ladder Hill rewards you with proper views across the Cheshire landscape, though you'll want to pick your moment weather-wise because the summit can disappear into cloud faster than you'd expect. It's a straightforward walk from Buxton - nothing technical, just a steady ascent that takes the best part of an hour depending on your pace and how many times you stop to catch your breath.

The name comes from the ladder-like path that zigzags up the hillside, which sounds more dramatic than it actually is. Once you're up there, the moorland around you stretches out reasonably far, and on a clear day you get a real sense of being somewhere proper rather than just another Cheshire ramble. Most walkers knock it off in an afternoon, making it ideal if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Buxton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Lime Tree Holiday Park and need something that doesn't eat up your whole day.

Families with kids aged eight and up will manage it without complaint, though younger children might find the relentless gradient a bit wearing. There's no café or facilities at the top, so bring water and something to eat if you're staying up there a while. The walk itself is free, naturally - you just need good boots and weather that doesn't look like it's about to turn on you. It's a solid addition to a Cheshire walking break rather than a destination in itself, but worth the detour if you're based in Buxton.