Black Brows

The walk up Black Brows from Windermere doesn't take long, which is either a blessing or a bit of a letdown depending on what you're after. It's a proper fell rather than a mountain - you're looking at around 700 metres, not some epic scramble - but it does the job if you want a quick leg-stretcher with views across the lake and down the valley beyond.

The approach is straightforward enough, paths well-trodden from the village side, and most people can manage it in under an hour up and down without breaking a sweat. Kids will cope fine, though the younger ones might grumble about the climb. The real appeal is the perspective you get over Windermere itself - on a clear day you can see right down the length of it, and the fell gives you height without the commitment of something like the Catbells. On a grey afternoon it's less inspiring, mind you.

This works well if you're staying at one of the local parks - Park Cliffe or Hill of Oaks are both within two miles - and you want to burn an hour between breakfast and lunch. It's free to walk, naturally, and accessible year-round, though muddy patches linger after rain. Don't expect solitude on weekends. It's the sort of walk Lake District visitors do when they've got half a day and want to feel like they've properly ventured outdoors without getting genuinely lost or tired. Honest rather than spectacular.