Millstone Howe

The walk up Millstone Howe rewards you with views that stretch across upper Teesdale and the surrounding fells. It's a proper fell, not some gentle moorland ramble - you're looking at a steady climb from Kirkby Stephen that takes the best part of two hours up and back down again.

What you get at the top is a panorama that justifies the effort. On a clear day the visibility is excellent, and you can trace the course of the River Tees snaking through the valley below. The fell itself is bare moorland, windswept and genuine - no fancy summit cairn or tourist infrastructure, just fell. That's either brilliant or disappointing depending on what you want.

This works best for walkers who actually enjoy walking rather than ticking off Instagram spots. Families with young children will find the ascent tedious; kids get exhausted on featureless moorland without a clear destination in sight. But for anyone staying at Gillcumber Glamping Pods nearby, it's an excellent half-day outing that gets you out onto real fell country without needing an alpine fitness level.

Allow three hours if you're moving at a normal pace and want to sit down at the top. Go in autumn when the light is lower and warmer - summer can feel a bit exposed and bleak on the exposed sections. Free to visit, obviously - it's a fell.