Ralph Hill

Ralph Hill sits just north of Skipton, a straightforward fell walk that won't set your heart racing but delivers proper views across Wharfedale on a clear day. The ascent is steady rather than brutal - you're looking at around an hour from the car park, gaining maybe 300 metres or so of height. Nothing technical, just good honest moorland walking. The summit itself is modest, no dramatic trig point or cairn to mark your arrival, but on a decent afternoon you can see right down the valley toward Bolton Abbey. It's the sort of walk that works brilliantly if you're basing yourself at one of the caravan parks nearby - Howgill Lodge is barely 3.6 miles away, making this a proper pocket-handkerchief outing rather than a full expedition. Families with competent young walkers will manage it fine. Older kids might find it a bit anticlimactic given the effort involved, especially if the weather's turning grey. Summer weekends get busy with local ramblers, so weekday mornings are considerably more peaceful. The terrain underfoot varies - heather, grass, the odd boggy patch - so decent boots aren't a luxury. You won't spend more than two hours here unless you're really dawdling. If you're staying at Bolton Abbey Estate or Wharfedale Club sites, Ralph Hill makes a lovely pre-lunch walk. Pair it with a proper village explore in Skipton itself and you've got a tidy half-day sorted.