Ticket Hill

Ticket Hill sits just outside Alnwick and rewards walkers with proper Northumberland views across the rolling Cheviot foothills. It's not a dramatic summit - more of a steady climb through open moorland - but the vista at the top justifies the leg work. On a clear day you can see right across to the Scottish border country, which gives you a real sense of where you are geographically.

The walk itself takes about an hour return from the car park, depending on your pace. It's popular with fell walkers and anyone after a straightforward afternoon hike without the commitment of tackling something like Cheviot itself. The terrain is moorland grass, so it can be boggy in wet weather - proper boots matter. Children will manage it fine if they're already walking regularly, though younger ones might find it a bit of a slog on the way back down.

Being this close to Alnwick means it pairs well with a park-based holiday at Middlemoor Farm Holidays or River Breamish, both within easy reach. You could easily knock this out as a morning walk and then head into town for lunch or visit the castle. Blossom Plantation and Doxford Farm are slightly further out but still handy if you're using them as a base. There's nothing built up here - no visitor centre, no facilities at the top - so bring water and come prepared. Free access as far as I can tell, and you can walk it year-round, though spring and early autumn tend to offer the best weather.