Brough Scar

The walk up Brough Scar from Leyburn is proper steep, I won't lie to you. It's one of those climbs where you're breathing hard halfway through and wondering why you didn't just pop to the pub instead. But stick with it. The scar itself - that's the rocky outcrop that juts out from the hillside - rewards the effort with views across Wensleydale that make your legs forget they hurt. On a clear day you can see right down the dale, fields rolling away in that soft Yorkshire way.

It's a forest walk more than anything else, trees thick on either side as you head up, so it's decent shade on a warm day. Allow a solid hour for the climb and another half hour pottering about at the top if you want to catch your breath and take photographs. The terrain's a bit loose and can be boggy after rain, so proper footwear matters.

This appeals most to walkers and fell runners rather than families with pushchairs - the gradient's unforgiving and younger kids will likely find it a slog. But if you're staying at somewhere like Usha Gap Farm and Campsite just down in Leyburn, it's a proper good afternoon out. The actual forest isn't anything extraordinary - no rare woodland or ancient trees to speak of - but the vantage point at the top makes it well worth the effort. Go mid-morning to avoid the afternoon crowds, and bring water.