Marpleridge

The walk up Marpleridge from Macclesfield side is steep and proper knackering if you've not done it before, but the views across Cheshire when you crest the hill make it worth every laboured breath. It's not a dramatic peak - nothing like you'd find further north - but it's got character, especially when the light's right and you can see right across the plains toward Wales on a clear day.

This is walkers' territory. If you're after a proper leg-stretcher rather than a gentle stroll, Marpleridge delivers. Families with younger kids might find the ascent a bit much, though determined teenagers will manage it fine. The summit itself is modest - moorland rather than a dramatic rocky outcrop - but the sense of having earned your views is real enough.

Allow a good two hours for the round trip depending on your pace and how long you linger at the top. There's nothing marked as a cafe or facility at the summit, so bring water and a snack. Spring and early autumn are the cracking times - summer can get a bit sticky up there, and winter fog rolls in fast.

If you're based at Eastwood End Caravan Park nearby, this makes a solid morning activity before heading back for lunch. It's the kind of walk that feels properly local rather than touristy - you'll see more fell-walkers than families with buggies, which is precisely its appeal.