Wood Hill

The walk up Wood Hill from Ilkley is straightforward enough - nothing that'll have you gasping for breath, but it's proper moorland underfoot, so pick your footing on the boggy stretches. You're looking at under an hour to the summit if you keep a steady pace, and the views across Wharfedale on a clear day make it absolutely worth the climb. On misty days though, don't expect much beyond a few metres of bracken and heather.

It's the kind of walk that suits families with reasonably fit legs, or anyone wanting an afternoon on the moors without committing to a full day's trek. The summit itself isn't dramatic - no proper trig point or shelter - just open moorland where the horizon opens up. Groups tend to spend twenty minutes at the top before heading back down.

If you're camped at Clarion Lodge Campsite just two miles away, this makes a natural half-day outing. Fairmead Farm Glamping and Moor Valley Country Park are both under four miles, so you could easily combine it with exploring the broader moorland around Ilkley. The town itself has decent pubs for a post-walk pint, which most visitors seem to appreciate after the wind.

Weather changes quickly up here. What looks fine from town can turn murky within twenty minutes, so check the forecast beforehand. The real appeal isn't the destination - it's the moorland itself and how it sits above one of Yorkshire's nicest market towns. That justifies the walk.