Limehouse Hill

The climb up to Limehouse Hill, just outside Ripon, isn't the most dramatic in Yorkshire - but on a clear day the view across the Nidderdale Valley genuinely stops you in your tracks. You're looking out towards Fountains Abbey and the surrounding moorland, all soft greens and distant blues depending on the light. It's the sort of viewpoint that rewards you for bothering to walk up without demanding a proper trek.

Walkers get the most from this one. The approach from nearby Ripon takes maybe twenty minutes on foot, and the hill itself isn't steep enough to put off anyone with reasonable legs. Families with younger kids might find it a bit underwhelming after a few minutes - there's not much to do once you're up there except stand and look - but it's absolutely worth the detour if you're already out walking the Nidderdale Way or exploring the abbey ruins.

The timing matters. Come on a damp, grey afternoon and you'll see nothing but murk. Choose a morning in late spring or early autumn and the visibility is cracking. There's no admission charge - it's just open land - and no facilities at the top, so bring water.

If you're basing yourself at one of the caravan parks in the area - Sleningford Watermill or Riverside Meadows are both within a few miles - this works well as a half-hour leg-stretch. Don't expect it to anchor your whole day, but it's solid value for no effort and no cost.