Moss Dam

The walk to Moss Dam catches you off guard - you're expecting moorland solitude and instead find yourself face to face with water that shouldn't really be there. This reservoir sits in the uplands above Richmond, a proper bit of Wensleydale scenery, and the dam itself is a modest engineering effort from the Victorian era that somehow feels more dramatic than its size suggests.

It's the walk rather than the destination that makes it worthwhile. The approach from Richmond is straightforward enough, moving through open country with views that stretch toward the Pennines. You get the sense of being properly away from things, even though the nearest town is only a few miles back down the hill. The water itself sits in a fairly austere landscape - there's no visitor centre, no cafe, no faffing about. Just a dam, a body of water, and moorland air.

Walkers will get the most from this. Two or three hours on foot, depending on your pace and how far you fancy pushing beyond the dam itself, and you've had a decent morning. Families with young kids might find the walk a bit relentless for the modest payoff, unless they're keen hill types. History enthusiasts could do worse, given the dam's age and rural setting.

Camp at Usha Gap Farm & Campsite just 2 miles away if you're making a proper weekend of the Richmond area. It's a sensible base for tackling the moorland walks hereabouts. The landscape around here rewards a bit of effort - Moss Dam is just one spoke in that wheel.