Pikedaw Hill

The walk up Pikedaw Hill rewards you with proper views across the Yorkshire Dales - not dramatic peaks, but the kind of rolling limestone country that makes you understand why people come back to this part of North Yorkshire again and again. It's a modest summit near Skipton, the sort of place where you'll spot walkers more often than tourists, which is exactly the point.

You're looking at a straightforward fell walk rather than a scramble. The path is well-trodden but not so obvious you can do it half-asleep, and the climb takes something under an hour from the road depending on your pace. Once you're up there, the view opens out - you can see across to Pendle Hill and over the Dales proper. On a clear day it's genuinely lovely. On a grey day, it's still fine if you've got decent boots and don't mind the wind.

This suits walkers far more than families with small kids - there's no playground at the top, no visitor centre, just a hilltop and the Dales rolling away in every direction. Hikers doing longer routes through the region often bag this one as a quick half-morning job. Entry is free, obviously, being a fell.

If you're staying at one of the local glamping pods like Malham or Coxons Farm, Pikedaw makes sense as an early walk before breakfast or as a late-afternoon climb when you've got a few hours free. It doesn't demand a full day, which counts in its favour when you're juggling a park holiday with other plans.