Siney Tarn

The walk down to Siney Tarn takes you through proper fell country, with the water appearing suddenly between the fells like a secret someone's forgotten to tell tourists about. It's a small lake, not flashy, but that's rather the point - you get the Cumbrian landscape without the crowds you'd find at Windermere or Coniston.

The tarn sits at around 300 metres, cradled by moorland and rough grass that turns golden in late summer. On a clear day the reflections are worth the trek alone. The walk from Holmrook takes the best part of an hour depending on your fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath on the climb. It's not technically difficult, but it's relentlessly uphill.

Walkers will find this genuinely rewarding - the kind of place where you see fell ponies and hear almost nothing else. Families with young children might find it a bit of a slog, though older kids who enjoy hiking will love the sense of having found somewhere slightly off the beaten path. There's no cafe, no facilities, no interpretive boards. Just water, hills, and quiet.

Fisherground Campsite sits less than a mile away near Holmrook, making this an excellent addition to a Cumbrian base. Pair it with walks around the lower lakes if you want variety, but come here if you want to escape the tour bus routes and remember why people move to the Lake District in the first place.