Stainburn Hill

The walk up Stainburn Hill rewards you with proper views across the Wharfe Valley - clear skies will show you all the way to the moors beyond Wetherby. It's not a brutal climb, more a steady plod through woodland that opens out onto moorland as you gain height. Takes about forty minutes from the car park if you're not dawdling.

You get a real sense of Yorkshire up here. The trig point marks the summit at 1,003 feet, and on a decent day the whole Harrogate area spreads out below. There's something satisfying about that kind of view - the kind you've actually earned by walking for it rather than just turning up somewhere.

It suits walkers more than families with small children, though older kids will manage fine if they're used to a bit of a hike. The paths are mostly clear and well-trodden. Bring decent boots though - muddy patches abound after rain. Allow two to three hours for a proper outing if you want to sit about and take it in.

Stay at one of the nearby parks - Rudding Holiday Park sits just 2.8 miles away and gives you easy access to this walk plus the wider moorland around there. It's a solid base for exploring the North York Moors without needing to venture miles into the hills. The walk is free, naturally, and there's no gate or entrance fee to worry about. Best visited in autumn when the light catches the bracken properly, or spring when everything's greening up.