Chesters Pike

The walk up Chesters Pike rewards you with proper Northumberland views the moment you crest the top. It's not a massive peak - more of a substantial hill, really - but the ridge walk getting there is the thing that makes it worth your time. From Haltwhistle, you're looking at a straightforward ascent that takes most people between 45 minutes and an hour depending on fitness and how often you stop to catch your breath.

What you get at the summit is a panorama that stretches across the Tyne Valley with Hadrian's Wall country laid out below. On a clear day the visibility is excellent, though Northumberland weather being what it is, you'll want to time it for when the clouds aren't sitting directly on the hilltops. The Pike itself is modest - a few rocks marking the high point - but the walk there takes you through proper moorland with views opening up gradually as you gain height.

This suits walkers who want a proper walk without needing full hiking kit or spending six hours on the hills. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though younger ones might find it a bit of a slog on the way up. The terrain is rough underfoot in places so decent boots help. It's free to access and you can do it as a half-day outing.

If you're camping nearby - and the area has some cracking sites like Herding Hill Farm just down the road - Chesters Pike slots in nicely as a morning walk before breakfast or an afternoon jaunt. The Hadrian's Wall Campsite is practically on your doorstep at just over two miles away.