Armathwaite Castle

The ruins of Armathwaite Castle sit on a ridge above the village of Armathwaite, commanding views across the Eden Valley. What you get is a patchwork of sandstone walls - parts of the keep still stand to a decent height, and you can make out the layout of the medieval fortress that once guarded this stretch of Cumbria. It's not intact enough to feel like a proper castle tour, but that's rather the appeal. The fragments tell a story without spelling it out for you.

Medieval history buffs will find it genuinely interesting. The castle dates back to the 13th century and has real bones - you're not staring at a tourist-fied reconstruction. Walkers will appreciate the short trek up from the village and the viewpoint itself, which opens up the landscape nicely on a clear day. Families with younger kids might find twenty minutes enough; teenagers who dig history will linger longer picking through the stones.

It's free to access and entirely self-guided. Allow thirty to forty minutes including the walk up. The best light hits in late afternoon. It works brilliantly as part of a wider ramble through the Eden Valley, and it's close enough to Drybeck Farm and High Hall Farm Campsite to slot into a park-based holiday without breaking the routine. Both campsites are within easy driving distance, so you could make this a gentle morning outing before settling back for lunch. The village itself is quiet - no shops or facilities worth mentioning at the castle itself.