Laithe Butts Hill

The walk up Laithe Butts Hill isn't going to take your breath away with altitude - you're only looking at around 370 metres - but the moorland views across the Pennines from the top make it a proper worthwhile detour if you're based near Skipton. The hill itself sits on open moorland, so you get that exposed, windswept Yorkshire fell experience without needing serious mountaineering boots.

It's the kind of place that suits walkers more than casual strollers. The terrain is rough underfoot and the weather can turn quickly, so come prepared. Allow a couple of hours for a steady round trip from the nearest parking, including time to stand around at the summit enjoying the vista across the valleys below. Clear days are rare enough up here that when you get one, you'll understand why people bother.

Families with older kids who don't mind a bit of bog and bracken will find it decent enough. Toddlers and anyone wanting a gentle ramble should probably look elsewhere - there are easier hills all over the Dales. In winter it can be genuinely bleak, which some walkers love and others find depressing.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Thornton Hall is closest at under two miles - this makes an obvious morning or afternoon excursion. It's free to access and there are no facilities on the hill itself, so bring water and snacks. The moorland is best visited spring through autumn when the ground is a bit more forgiving.