Scales Hill

The walk up Scales Hill rewards you with views across the Ribble Valley that stretch for miles on a clear day. It's a proper fell, not some gentle ramble - steep enough in places that you'll feel you've earned the summit, but nothing that requires ropes or special kit. From the top you get Lancashire spread out below you: Barnoldswick sits to the south, and on a decent day you can see right across the Pennines. The moorland grips your boots and the wind catches you properly up there.

This is the sort of walk that appeals to people who like solid exercise without the pretension. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might struggle with the gradient depending on their legs. History buffs won't find much to grab hold of here - it's a nature walk, not an archaeology lesson. Allow a couple of hours return from whatever car park you find near the base.

If you're camping at Shay Gate Farm or staying at one of the other sites nearby - Holgates Ribble Valley is excellent if you want proper amenities - Scales Hill makes a decent afternoon outing. It's close enough not to eat up your whole day, but demanding enough that you won't feel short-changed. Go when the weather's settled; there's no shelter whatsoever on the summit and Lancashire can turn grey and drizzly without warning.