St Kentigern Cross

A weathered stone cross standing alone on the Cumbrian fell - that's St Kentigern Cross, though you'll need proper map skills and a decent pair of boots to find it. This is serious walking territory, not a roadside curiosity. The cross itself dates back centuries, a marker of ancient pilgrimage routes and a reminder that people have been tramping these hills for rather longer than the Lake District's current tourism boom.

The appeal here is almost entirely for walkers who love a bit of history woven into their ramble. Families with young kids will find it more slog than sight-seeing, frankly - it's not a destination you drive to and pop out at. It's more a satisfying checkpoint on a fell walk, proof you've reached somewhere proper remote. If you're staying at one of the caravan parks near Cockermouth - Forest Views or Skiddaw View are closest - this works as part of a longer circuit rather than a standalone visit.

There's no visitor facility, no signposting to speak of, and admission is free because there's nothing to charge for. You need an Ordnance Survey map or good GPS. Allow three to four hours if you're combining it with other fell walking. Spring and summer are the logical times; winter up here is genuinely testing.

It rewards the effort with quietness and a sense of walking in proper history. Not for everyone, but exactly what some people come to the Lake District to find.