Ravens Heugh

The walk up Ravens Heugh from Morpeth rewards you with genuine views across the Northumberland landscape - nothing flashy, just proper countryside stretching out in all directions. It's a modest peak by most standards, but that's rather the point. You get the satisfaction of a summit without needing mountaineering boots or a day's commitment.

The climb itself is straightforward enough, though the path can be muddy after rain. Allow a couple of hours there and back if you're taking it leisurely, less if you're fit. History types will appreciate that you're walking ground steeped in border country heritage, though there's nothing dramatic to see at the top itself - the appeal is purely the vista and the walk itself.

Families with reasonably active kids will manage it fine. Very small children might struggle with the uneven bits, and I'll be honest - if your lot get bored without a visitor centre or ice cream van, this won't hold them long once they've caught their breath at the summit.

Timing-wise, early morning or late afternoon gives you the best light, and you'll avoid other walkers if that matters to you. Free, obviously - it's just a hill.

If you're staying at Whitton Glebe or Riverside Rothbury, this makes a cracking morning walk before heading elsewhere. It's not a destination on its own, but combined with exploring Morpeth itself and the surrounding parks, it slots in nicely as part of a proper Northumberland break.