Pinnock Hill

A steep climb from the surrounding moorland brings you to Pinnock Hill's modest summit, where the payoff is a proper 360-degree view across County Durham's rolling landscape. On a clear day you can pick out Weardale stretching away to the west, and the distant Pennines forming a blue-grey line on the horizon. It's not a dramatic peak - more of a determined hill really - but it rewards the legwork with genuine space and light.

The walk itself is the main event here. Expect rough moorland paths and grassland, the sort of terrain that either appeals to you completely or doesn't appeal at all. There's no faffing about with facilities or visitor centres; it's just you, the wind, and increasingly better views as you gain height. Families with reasonably fit kids will manage it fine, though younger legs might grumble on the descent. Walkers based at Woodside Ridge Caravan Park, just 5.8 miles south, will find this a worthwhile morning outing - it's the kind of walk that clears your head without consuming an entire day.

Go on a day when the wind isn't absolutely howling; the exposed summit can be proper bleak if conditions turn. Spring and early autumn tend to work best for visibility and underfoot conditions. There's car parking near the trailhead, though I'd recommend checking locally for current access details before you set out. Straightforward, unpretentious, and genuinely worth the effort if you're after honest moorland walking rather than manicured peaks.