Summer-House Hill

The walk up Summer-House Hill from Richmond rewards you with one of those properly wide views across Wensleydale and beyond - the kind of panorama that makes the climb feel justified even if your legs disagree halfway. It's not a particularly demanding push, maybe 45 minutes to the summit depending on your pace, and the path is well-trodden enough that you won't spend half the time wondering if you've gone wrong.

What you get at the top is straightforward: open moorland, clean air, and sight lines that stretch for miles when the weather plays ball. On a clear day you can pick out the pattern of the valley below, the patchwork of fields, the darker smudges of woodland. It's the sort of walk that appeals to anyone who fancies a proper leg-stretcher without needing technical gear or serious scrambling.

Historically it's the kind of local summit that's done the rounds for centuries - the name itself suggests someone once built a shelter up here, though there's nothing to see now. Family groups find it manageable, though younger children might flag on the steeper sections. Photographers tend to linger longer than walkers, chasing the light.

If you're based at Usha Gap Farm & Campsite a few miles out, this makes an excellent morning outing before heading into Richmond for lunch. Access is free and you can tackle it any time - there's no gate, no opening hours to worry about. Allow a couple of hours if you want to sit up top and actually take it in rather than simply bag the summit.