Furness Golf Club

Furness Golf Club sits on the edge of Millom, a proper links-style course that commands views across to the Lake District fells. It's the sort of place where you'll spend half your round admiring the landscape and the other half cursing your slice into the rough.

The course itself is a genuine test - eighteen holes wound through undulating terrain with the kind of wind that reminds you you're on the Cumbrian coast. This isn't a manicured resort course; it's got character, the sort that comes from decades of golfers battling the same challenging conditions. You'll need to book ahead, and it's members-first here, though visitors are welcomed if you can arrange it through the club.

If you're a golfer, allow a good four hours plus lunch. Non-golfers might find an afternoon here less enticing - it's genuinely for those who want to play rather than tag along. Families with kids will only get value if everyone's keen on golf.

The real appeal is combining this with a base at High Haume Glamping or Harbour Lights Campsite, both within six miles. Millom itself is small but functional, and you're well-positioned for exploring Cartmel and the wider South Lakes. Play your round in the morning when conditions tend to be calmer, then explore the area afterwards. The golf club's website has all the visitor information and booking requirements - definitely ring ahead rather than turning up.