Otley Chevin Country Park

The ridge that runs above Ilkley has proper views - the sort that make you stop halfway up and just look for a bit. Otley Chevin Country Park stretches across this moorland plateau, and it's genuinely worth the climb if you're staying nearby or passing through the area.

What you get is moorland walking, mostly. Paths wind through bracken and bilberry, with the Wharfe Valley laid out below and, on clear days, the Pennines rolling away to the west. There's a tower at the top - the tower's Victorian, built as a folly, and it's the sort of thing that gives you a focal point for the walk even if you're not bothered about summiting it. The paths are well-trodden and mostly manageable, though it can be muddy after rain and steep in patches.

This is for walkers, chiefly. Not a stroll round a park with benches and bins - it's proper moorland with all that entails. Kids who like climbing and exploring will get something out of it, but younger children might find it just a long walk with nothing to do at the end. The whole experience takes between two and three hours depending on how much you dawdle.

Staying at Clarion Lodge Campsite just over a mile away makes sense if you're basing yourself in Ilkley. Moor Valley Country Park sits a few miles further off if you want more structured amenities alongside your walking. The Chevin works best as a morning or afternoon outing - go early if you want the ridge to yourself.