North Pennines National Landscape

The North Pennines roll across County Durham like a wrinkled blanket, all heather moorland and stone walls and sky that seems to go on for ever. This is proper upland terrain - 2,000 feet at the highest points - and it's genuinely worth the drive out from Bishop Auckland if you want to see northern England looking properly wild.

You're not going to find a visitor centre with a gift shop or crowds. What you get instead is access to some cracking walking country. The moorland is open and windswept, the views stretch for miles, and on a clear day you can pick out the Cheviot Hills away to the north. The geology nerds will have a field day - this area was designated because of its International Geopark status, though unless you're properly into that sort of thing, what matters is that the landscape is genuinely dramatic.

Walkers absolutely should be here. Families with older kids will find it rewarding, though younger ones might get restless on the longer trails. Winter can be brutal - the weather turns serious quickly - but spring and autumn are ideal. Budget half a day minimum; a full day is better if you want to do it properly.

If you're camping at Westgate Caravan & Camping Site, you're well-positioned for exploring the Pennines. It's close enough for multiple visits without feeling like you're making the journey every time. Fair warning though: this isn't a destination for those after easy strolls and ice cream vans. It's proper fell walking territory.