Cowan Edge

The drive up to Cowan Edge takes you through proper fell country, and when you finally park and walk those last few hundred metres, the view across the Eden Valley simply stops you dead. It's one of those vantage points where you can see why people walk in this bit of Cumbria rather than anywhere else.

You're standing at roughly 400 metres looking north across a checkerboard of fields and stone walls, with the Pennines forming a serious backdrop. On a clear day the visibility is genuinely impressive - you can pick out the shape of Kirkby Stephen nestled below, and the landscape just rolls away in layers. The actual viewpoint itself is refreshingly low-key: no gift shop, no café, no ceremony. Just a few parking spaces and open access to the view.

Walkers get the most from this spot, particularly those tackling longer routes across the fells. You can spend ten minutes here for the view alone or make it part of a proper afternoon's walking. Families won't find play equipment or interactive anything, so young kids might manage twenty minutes before getting restless.

The nearest decent accommodation is Gillcumber Glamping Pods, just under four miles away, which gives you a proper base for exploring the surrounding fell country. Come on a clear morning if you can - the light's better and you'll actually see what you're looking at. Free, always open, no faffing about. Well worth the short drive from Kirkby Stephen if you're in the area.