Scout Scar Mushroom

The walk up Scout Scar from Kendal rewards you with a distinctive limestone outcrop shaped - genuinely - like a mushroom. It's not some Instagram fabrication either; from the right angle, it really does look the part. The summit sits roughly 1,100 feet up, and the views across the Kent valley and towards the Lake District fells justify the climb.

It takes about 45 minutes to an hour from the starting point at Scout Scar Lane, depending on fitness. The path is well-trodden and manageable for most people, though it does get steeper towards the top. Children over eight or nine will manage it fine; younger ones might find it a bit of a slog. The limestone itself can be slippery when wet, so proper footwear matters.

This is a proper walker's destination rather than a casual stroll. You're looking at two hours all-in if you want to sit about and enjoy the views. Free to access, naturally. The mushroom rock itself isn't massive - you can scramble over it, take your photos, eat a sandwich - but it's genuine fell country on the doorstep of Kendal.

If you're based at one of the Kendal caravan sites, this makes a straightforward half-day outing. Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site and Kendal Camping and Caravanning Club Site are both within three miles. Fair bit of up and down, but if you've come to the Lakes to walk, Scout Scar deserves the morning.