Mounces Viewpoint

The moment you crest the hill at Mounces, the whole of Kielder Water spreads out below you like someone's knocked over a tin of pewter paint across the valley floor. It's the kind of view that makes you understand why people drive out here from Hexham and beyond, even when the weather's being difficult about it.

This is a straightforward viewpoint - pull in, get out, take in the vista of water and forest stretching into the distance. The Kielder estate surrounds you on all sides, and from up here you can see exactly why the three nearby holiday parks - Landal Kielder Waterside, Kielder Waterside and Lodges, and Kielder Campsite - have positioned themselves right at the water's edge. On a clear day the view justifies the trip. On a grey one, it's moody and atmospheric in that proper Northumbrian way.

Walkers tend to use this as a stop-off rather than a destination in itself - you're really here for the view rather than facilities or activities. Twenty minutes is enough to absorb it properly, maybe longer if you've brought binoculars and the light's doing something interesting. There's no admission charge that I'm aware of, and access seems straightforward.

If you're staying at one of those waterside parks, you'll probably find yourself here at least once. It's the kind of spot that works best either early morning when mist still clings to the water, or late afternoon when the sun's lower and casting everything in gold. Midday can feel a bit flat by comparison.