Tower Hill

The walk up Tower Hill rewards you with proper expansive views across the Cheviot foothills - and that's the main point of coming here, frankly. It's a nature reserve just outside Wooler, the sort of place locals know well but visitors often miss, tucked away in rolling Northumberland countryside.

On a clear day you can see for miles. The moorland vegetation is low and sparse, so nothing blocks the panorama once you've climbed the approach. It takes around thirty to forty minutes if you're not dawdling, though the path itself isn't particularly demanding. The real appeal is the walking itself rather than facilities - there's no visitor centre or cafe, so bring water and snacks.

Historically minded types will appreciate that you're walking over land shaped by centuries of Northumbrian life, but this isn't a heritage site with interpretation boards. It's genuinely about the landscape and the views.

Families with older kids will get on fine here - younger ones might find it a bit of a plod without dramatic features to spot. Photographers come at golden hour when the light turns the hills golden. Walkers heading through Wooler should slot this in as a half-morning detour.

Both Riverside Wooler Holiday Park and Highburn House Caravan Park sit barely half a mile away, making Tower Hill an easy add-on to a Borders holiday base. Free access, no entrance fee, just turn up. Worth the leg stretch if you're in the area, though don't expect anything more than decent walking and views.