Pen-y-ghent

The walk up Pen-y-ghent is proper steep, and it doesn't mess about. From Settle, this 694-metre peak rises above the surrounding Pennines with an almost aggressive determination, especially in the final stretch where a rocky scramble demands respect and decent boots.

There's no facility nonsense here - it's a straightforward fell walk. Most people tackle it as part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge alongside Whernside and Ingleborough, which explains the well-worn path and the crowds on weekends. On a quieter day, though, you get genuine solitude at the top. The views stretch across the Ribble Valley and into Lancashire, and on a clear morning it's worth the huffing and puffing.

Allow three hours there and back from the car park at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, though stronger walkers will be quicker. It's free, obviously - it's a fell. The terrain is unforgiving: boggy lower sections, exposed ridge walking, and that final push requires some scrambling ability. Not one for young children unless they're genuinely competent hikers.

Stay at either Ribblesdale Pods - a luxury glamping option just 1.8 miles away - or The Dalesbridge Campsite and Cabins if you want something more conventional. Both put you within striking distance of this walk and the wider Three Peaks circuit. Go midweek if you can. The weekend crowds transform what should be a wild Pennine experience into something more like a hiking motorway.