Crummock lake side

The water here is properly stunning - a long stretch of slate-grey lake hemmed in by fells that rise steep and serious on either side. Crummock Water sits in the Lake District proper, about fifteen minutes from Cockermouth, and it's the kind of place that makes you understand why people move to Cumbria and never leave.

You can walk the full circuit if you're keen, though the track gets rough on the western shore. Most visitors do a section - the southern end near the car park is easiest, with a decent waterside path that takes maybe forty minutes to Buttermere if you fancy linking it to the next lake. The views from the shore looking up at the fells are worth the trudge, especially when the light's right. No shops, no facilities really - bring what you need.

This works best for fell walkers and photography types rather than families after an easy stroll. Young kids will get bored quickly unless they're the type who scramble on rocks for hours. The campsite at Whinfell Hall Farm, just four miles away, is a solid base if you're planning a few days exploring the western lakes.

Go mid-week if you can. Weekends get the tourist buses from Cockermouth, and the car park fills by noon. Summer crowds aren't unbearable, but autumn is genuinely better - clearer air, fewer people, and the light changes every twenty minutes.