Arthur's Pike

The walk up Arthur's Pike is one of those short, sharp climbs that feels properly rewarding once you're standing on top. It's only 481 metres, but the views across to Ullswater and the surrounding fells more than compensate for the relatively modest height. Starting from near Penrith, you're looking at roughly forty minutes up and the same back down - easy enough for a morning outing but steep enough to feel like you've earned your coffee afterwards.

It's a walker's peak rather than a sightseeer's destination, if that makes sense. There's no café at the summit, no gift shop, just a proper fell top with the kind of 360-degree vistas that remind you why the Lake District draws people in the first place. On a clear day you can see across the Pennines. On a hazy one, you're still looking at decent views of Helvellyn and the surrounding ridges.

Families with reasonably fit kids will manage it fine. The path is well-trodden and there's nothing technically tricky, though it is a genuine uphill slog for the last stretch. Allow an hour total if you're moving at a leisurely pace.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Park Foot Holiday Park and Ullswater Holiday Park are practically on your doorstep - it makes for a cracking half-day walk before lunch. Combine it with a wander around Penrith town centre or an afternoon on Ullswater and you've got yourself a solid Lake District day without needing to trek hours to the honeypot peaks.