Riggs Gill Lathe

Walking through the moorland south of Skipton, you'll eventually stumble upon what remains of Riggs Gill Lathe - a medieval farm complex that once thrived up here when the weather was considerably less brutal. It's essentially earthworks and stone foundations now, but that's rather the point with these upland sites. You're looking at field systems, the outline of long-gone buildings, and the sort of place that makes you understand why people abandoned these hills centuries ago.

This is archaeology proper, not a museum with interpretive boards. You need to come prepared to read the landscape yourself - or armed with a decent guidebook - because there's nothing much standing to tell the story for you. That's either brilliant or completely pointless depending on your temperament. History enthusiasts and walkers tackling the moors will find it genuinely worthwhile; casual visitors expecting ruins might feel cheated after the trek up.

From Breaks Fold Farm Glamping or Brown Bank Caravan Park near Skipton, you're well-positioned for exploring these Pennine landscapes. Allow a couple of hours if you're combining it with a proper moorland walk rather than treating it as a destination in itself. Go in decent weather - rain and mist make the moorland confusing and frankly miserable. Spring or early autumn work best.