Beamsley Beacon from Addingham

The route

This route climbs out of Addingham and onto Beamsley Beacon in a single, direct pull, gaining 306m over roughly 8km and finishing on the far side of the hill rather than looping back. It's a point-to-point, so you'll want a plan for getting back - a second car, a lift, or treating it as an out-and-back if you'd rather return to Addingham on foot.

The summit

Beamsley Beacon tops out at 393m, and the summit itself is worth lingering on. Bronze Age burial cairns are scattered around the trig point, and close to the marker lies the wreckage site of a Second World War aircraft that came down on the hill - a quiet, easy-to-miss piece of history on what's otherwise a straightforward grass climb. The beacon takes its name from its historic role as a signal point, one of a chain of hills used to pass warnings across the country, and from the top you get the views to match: Wharfedale opening out below, and the southern Dales rolling away to the west.

Getting there and back

Addingham has on-street parking that's free outside peak hours, though spaces near the start fill up early on weekends. There's no railway station in the village, but bus services 62 and 64 connect Addingham with Ilkley and Skipton, useful if you're starting in one place and finishing in another. The Lord Addingham (formerly The Sailor) on Main Street is the obvious stop for food once you're done.

Why it works

What makes this short route worth the trip is the ratio of effort to reward - a modest climb that delivers a genuine Dales summit, a slice of wartime history, and views that punch above the hill's height. It's a good choice for an evening route when you want height and a view without committing a whole morning to it.