Willance’s Leap

A sheer drop of 180 feet above the River Wensleydale - that's what Willance's Leap amounts to, perched on the hillside between Leyburn and Middleham. The story's the dramatic bit: a local man called Willance supposedly rode his horse straight off this cliff during a desperate escape, and somehow both horse and rider survived the fall. Whether you believe it or not, the spot itself is worth the short detour off the Wensleydale Valley walks.

There's no visitor centre, no cafe, no faffing about - you just turn up and look. The view down the dale is proper lovely, especially if you time it for late afternoon light, and the walk up takes barely ten minutes from Middleham. It's the kind of place that appeals to history buffs and walkers equally, though small children won't hold your attention here for more than twenty minutes.

Free to visit, naturally. Allow thirty minutes if you're doing it as a quick stop, longer if you're combining it with a proper dale walk. The nearest proper holiday base would be Hewn Yorkshire, about six miles away across the valley - that puts you well positioned for exploring this whole section of Wensleydale without being marooned in the middle of nowhere. Go on a clear day if possible; you'll regret the trek on a wet afternoon when visibility drops to about fifty yards.