Blake Fell

Blake Fell isn't the Lake District's most famous summit, but that's precisely why you should go. This modest peak sits just outside Cockermouth and delivers proper views across to the Skiddaw range without the crowds you'd fight on Helvellyn or Scafell Pike.

It's a straightforward walk from the forest car park - takes about ninety minutes up, give or take depending on your pace and how often you stop to catch your breath on the steeper sections. The route itself winds through woodland before opening onto moorland, and on a clear day the outlook across to the Pennines justifies the leg work. On a grey one, honestly, you might as well save your effort.

This is walker territory rather than tourist attraction, so don't expect amenities or waymarked paths in the visitor-centre sense. Bring a map, wear proper boots, and know what you're doing weatherwise. Spring and autumn are best - summer can be boggy, winter requires more caution than it's worth.

If you're based at Whinfell Hall Farm Campsite nearby, Blake Fell makes a decent half-day outing that won't overshadow time spent in the main lakes. It's the sort of walk locals do, not the sort that gets written up in guidebooks. That actually makes it rather good. You'll have the fell mostly to yourself, and that's becoming rare around here.