Gray Crag

Gray Crag rises above Penrith with the kind of straightforward appeal that makes it popular with fell walkers who can't be bothered with the crowds on bigger peaks. It's a modest height - around 1,900 feet - but the views across the Eden Valley and towards the Lake District fells genuinely reward the effort.

The walk itself takes roughly two hours from the car park near Penrith, and it's a proper workout on the way up with loose scree near the summit that demands decent boots. The terrain is moorland and open fell, so there's no shelter whatsoever if the weather turns. I'd say allow longer than you think if visibility is poor - the top can be deceptively tricky to navigate in cloud.

This is a cracking option for experienced walkers wanting a quickish peak bag without driving to Keswick or Ambleside. Families with older kids (teenagers, really) might manage it, but younger children will find it tedious. The summit views are excellent on clear days - you can see right across to Helvellyn and the higher peaks, which makes the knee-battering descent almost worthwhile.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby glamping spots like Lakeside Retreat (5.5 miles away), Gray Crag makes a decent morning excursion before heading to Parkdean Resorts Limefitt Holiday Park for a proper afternoon activity. Worth doing only in decent weather.