Tarneybank Tarn

The walk up to Tarneybank Tarn is properly steep, and that's before you've even caught your breath from the car park. Worth it though. The tarn itself sits in a fold of the Cumbrian fells with no crowds, which is refreshing if you've just driven past Windermere packed with tourists.

It's a small lake, maybe twenty minutes round, and you don't need any special kit to enjoy it. The water sits dark and still most days, reflecting the slope of fell behind it. Families with children used to proper walking will find it manageable but best tackled early in the day when legs are fresh. Casual strollers might find the ascent a bit much for what amounts to a moorland pond, but for fell walkers heading out from Kendal, it's a solid three-hour outing without faffing about.

The tarn itself is free, obviously. No facilities up there - bring water and something to eat if you're planning to stay more than half an hour. Spring and early summer are best, when the light doesn't fade until late and the ground isn't waterlogged from winter melt.

If you're based at Kendal Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or the Kendal Camping and Caravanning Club Site nearby, this makes a proper half-day expedition that gets you away from the main Lake District crowds. Not a destination in itself, but a decent walk that earns its place in a wider holiday loop.