Smith Hill

The walk up Smith Hill from Barnoldswick takes about forty minutes if you're not rushing, and the moorland terrain is proper straightforward - nothing technical, just a steady climb through open country. Once you're at the top, you get views across Lancashire that stretch for miles on a clear day, with the Pennines rolling away to the south and the industrial heartland of East Lancashire spread below you like a map.

It's the sort of walk that families with older kids will manage fine, though younger ones might find the exposed ridge a bit windy and monotonous. Serious hikers will breeze through it in under an hour return. Photographers should come either early morning or late afternoon - the light does something lovely to the moorland then.

The whole thing is free, naturally. Allow two hours if you're stopping for snacks and taking in the view properly. Avoid it after heavy rain when the paths get boggy and slippery.

For a longer peak-bagging trip in the area, you could easily string together other walks from Shay Gate Farm Campsite (2.3 miles away) or base yourself at Trawden Forest Glamping (4.8 miles) and do several walks across the moors. Smith Hill works best as part of a weekend rather than a full day - it's the appetiser, not the main course. If you're staying at Deerstone Glamping just up the road, you've got no excuse not to tackle it.