Blackber Hill

Getting up Blackber Hill from Skipton direction isn't a long slog, which is precisely why it works as a quick afternoon escape. The summit sits just above the 500-metre mark and rewards you with proper views across the Dales - nothing dramatic, but solid moorland vistas that remind you why people drive out here from Manchester.

It's a walker's hill rather than a destination in its own right. You won't find a café at the top or any crowds jockeying for the best photo spot. What you get is an honest climb through rough grass and moorland, the kind of walk that takes an hour or so depending on your pace and the exact route you pick. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find it a bit punishing.

The Malham Glamping Pods sit just 2.7 miles away, making this a logical pairing for a wider Dales weekend. If you're camping round these parts - and Wood Nook or Wharfedale offer more traditional setups if glamping isn't your thing - you can tag Blackber Hill onto a bigger day without overthinking it. Spring and autumn are probably your best bets, when the moorland colour is decent and you're not battling mud or summer drizzle.

Honestly? It's the sort of hill you do while you're in the area rather than drive to specifically. But that doesn't make it a waste of time. Sometimes the best walks are the ones with no expectations attached.