Low Rigg

Low Rigg sits just outside Keswick and offers one of those walks where the effort-to-reward ratio actually makes sense. It's a proper fell, but not a slog - the summit tops out at 379 metres, which means most people can do it in under an hour without breaking a sweat. The views back towards Keswick and across to Blencathra are genuinely excellent, especially if you time it right and catch the light when it's actually cooperating.

You get a real sense of being up high without needing the fitness of someone tackling Helvellyn. The path is straightforward enough, though it can be boggy in places after rain, so decent boots aren't a luxury. Walkers will find this absolutely worth the detour - it's exactly the kind of fell that makes you feel like you've actually accomplished something without spending the whole day on it.

Families with reasonably mobile kids will manage it fine. Very young children or anyone not keen on ascents might find it a bit of a stretch, but it's not technical. Allow a solid hour and a half to two hours if you're taking photographs or just being leisurely about it.

If you're based at Castlerigg Hall or another of the parks clustered near Keswick - and there are several worth considering - Low Rigg makes an ideal morning expedition before heading off to explore Derwent Water or tackling something more ambitious. It's the sort of walk that leaves you feeling productive without being absolutely knackered.