Brier Hill

The walk up Brier Hill rewards you with proper views across the Northumberland hills - the kind of vista that makes the climb feel worthwhile without being punishing. It's not a major peak, but that's rather the point. You get solitude here instead of crowds, and on a clear day the ridgeline stretches out in all directions with barely another soul about.

The ascent takes the best part of an hour from the lower car parks near Hexham, following well-trodden paths through moorland that shifts colour with the seasons. Walkers dominate, naturally - this is bread-and-butter hiking territory rather than a scramble. Families with older kids will find it manageable, though younger ones might flag on the final push if you've misjudged their fitness levels.

It costs nothing and there's no formal opening hours - you simply turn up and go. Allow a couple of hours for the round trip if you're taking photos and soaking in the landscape. Autumn's your best bet, when the light turns golden and the moorland browns out. Summer can feel a touch unremarkable in comparison.

If you're based at one of the local campsites - Stonehaugh is closest at just over two miles away - Brier Hill makes a decent morning or late-afternoon excursion without eating your whole day. Pair it with the Pennine Way sections nearby or the gentler walks around Bellingham for a proper walking holiday. It's the sort of walk that doesn't sound thrilling until you're halfway up and realising how few people bother with it.