Windmill Hill

The walk up Windmill Hill from Ilkley is straightforward enough, and the trig point at the summit gives you proper 360-degree views across Wharfedale and out toward Pendle Hill on a clear day. It's not a particularly dramatic peak - more of a steady plod than a scramble - but the moorland setting feels properly wild once you're up there, even though town is just below.

The main draw is the walk itself rather than any specific feature at the top. Families with older kids will manage it without too much fuss; younger ones might find the 40 minutes or so of steady climbing tedious. Walkers and fell runners use it as a warm-up or training route, which tells you it's reliable rather than spectacular. The surrounding moorland is open access, so you can wander about once you're up there.

Go early morning or late afternoon if you want solitude - midday on a nice weekend gets busy with Ilkley locals. There's no charge to walk it, naturally, and you can reach the base from several points depending on what kind of day you fancy.

If you're camping nearby - Clarion Lodge is practically on the doorstep - this makes a solid half-day outing before heading to Moor Valley Country Park for something less strenuous. It's the sort of walk that works best as part of a longer Ilkley Moor circuit rather than a destination in itself.