Whangdon Hill

The walk up Whangdon Hill isn't going to take your breath away with drama, but there's something satisfying about climbing to the highest point around Hartlepool and actually seeing the landscape spread out properly. From the top you get views across County Durham - nothing Alpine, but on a clear day it's proper worth the leg work. The approach is straightforward moorland walking, the kind that clears your head without requiring specialist kit or spending three hours scrambling up loose scree.

It's the sort of place families with older kids will get a genuine kick out of, particularly if they're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Crimdon Dene or Castledene - both within a few miles. The walk itself won't bore them rigid, though younger children might find the moorland a bit samey. Serious fell-walkers might find it a touch tame, but that's not really the point here.

Timing-wise, allow an hour or so up and back depending on fitness, longer if you potter about on top taking photos. Go when the weather's decent because moorland in the rain and low cloud is just wet grass going nowhere. There's no visitor centre or facilities on the hill itself - it's proper DIY walking.

If you're based at one of the holiday parks for a week, this slots in nicely as a half-day activity without needing to drive far. It's honest, unflashy walking that gets you outside without pretending to be something it isn't.