Lingcove Bridge and Waterfalls

The walk to Lingcove Bridge rewards you with one of the Lake District's most satisfying cascades - a proper tumble of water that crashes over dark slate before pooling in a basin you could actually wade into on a hot day. It's not a difficult walk from Ambleside, though the path does get boggy after rain and there's no avoiding a bit of scrambling near the water itself.

What makes this place work is the drama of the setting. The bridge itself is modest - just a stone arch - but it sits in a narrow gorge where the water has worn the rocks smooth over centuries. Photographers will spend a good hour here chasing light through the trees. Families with reasonably fit kids aged eight and up will enjoy it; younger ones might find the rocky sections fiddly, and it's not a destination if your crew needs a flat, easy push of the pram.

The walk takes about two hours return from Ambleside town centre depending on your pace and how long you linger. Spring and autumn are best - summer brings midges, and winter makes the scramble genuinely treacherous. It's free, obviously.

If you're staying at Fisherground Campsite just down the valley, this makes a proper half-day outing that doesn't feel rushed. Combine it with a coffee in Ambleside afterwards and you've got a solid day. Don't come expecting isolation though - it's popular enough that you'll have company, especially weekends.