Redding's Hill

The trig point at Redding's Hill marks what amounts to County Durham's modest claim to high ground - 381 metres of it, to be precise. It's not going to take your breath away with Alpine drama, but it's the sort of spot that rewards walkers with decent views across the Cleveland Hills and back towards the coast near Hartlepool.

Getting up here is straightforward enough. The walk isn't arduous, though the path can be boggy depending on recent rain. You're looking at an hour's return trip from the nearest access point, making it ideal for folk who want a proper walk without committing their entire afternoon. The trig pillar itself is the real draw for navigation enthusiasts and anyone collecting these OS markers - there's something satisfying about standing at a precise point mapped by the old surveyors.

Family groups will find it manageable if the kids are decent walkers. Teenagers might find it a bit slow. History buffs won't find much to chew on - it's about the landscape and the walk itself, not what happened there.

It's free, obviously - it's a hillside with a stone pillar on top. Go when the weather's decent because cloud sits low up here when it's damp, and the views evaporate. The caravan parks around Hartlepool - Woodside Ridge and Castledene are closest - make reasonable bases if you're after easy walking country, though this isn't the sort of destination that'll keep you entertained for a week on its own.