High Fell

High Fell rewards you with a proper sense of achievement once you've hauled yourself to the top. It's not the Lake District's most famous peak - you won't find queues of tourists like you get at Catbells - but that's exactly why it's worth the trek from Kendal.

The walk itself takes a couple of hours depending on your pace and which route you choose. The views across the Kendal valley are genuinely fine, and on a clear day you can see right across to the Pennines. It's the sort of place where walkers genuinely enjoy themselves rather than just ticking a box.

Families with capable hill walkers will get plenty from it. Young kids might find it a slog, though - there's nothing to break up the walk and no cafe at the top, just you and the wind and the landscape. Seasoned fell-walkers who've tired of the overcrowded spots round Windermere or Ambleside will appreciate the relative peace.

It's free to access, obviously - no permits or gates to fuss with. Best to go midweek if you can, or out of season entirely. Summer weekends bring more people out, but nowhere near the madness of the honey-pot fells.

If you're staying at one of the local parks - Little Acre or The Ashes are only a few miles out - High Fell makes a proper half-day outing without eating into a full week's holiday. Pair it with the lower level walks around Kendal itself for a balanced break.