Mill Hill

Mill Hill is a proper wild spot - nothing more than open moorland that rises sharply out of the landscape near Peterlee, but that's rather the point. You're looking at genuine County Durham fell country here, the sort of place where the wind carries weight and the views stretch for miles across scrubland and rough grass.

The walk up is straightforward enough, though it's steeper than you'd expect from what looks like a modest height on the map. Thirty minutes of steady effort gets most people to the top, where the payoff is a panoramic view across the coalfield valleys and out toward the coast. On a clear day you can see proper distance - inland toward the Pennines, seaward toward Hartlepool. It's not about manicured paths or interpretation boards; it's about the raw landscape itself.

This works brilliantly for walkers who want something unforgiving without needing full fell-walking kit, or for anyone escaping the tourist honeypots. Families with keen legs will manage it, though toddlers will struggle with the boggy sections. The moorland changes character through the seasons - purple heather in late summer, bleak and honest in winter.

If you're based at The Barn at Easington, six miles south, this makes an excellent morning excursion before exploring the wider Durham coast. Allow a couple of hours round trip. No facilities, no crowds, no entry fee. Just take good boots and a windproof.