Burn Banks

The walk up Burn Banks rewards you with proper Lake District views without the crowds you'd battle at Catbells or Helvellyn. It's a modest peak near Penrith, the kind of fell that takes maybe two hours return if you're moving at a decent pace, though there's no single marked trail - you're reading the land as you go, which some hikers find annoying and others absolutely love.

What you get at the top is a wide vista across the surrounding fells and down towards the valleys. Nothing jaw-dropping, but solid. The fell itself is gentle enough for fit families with kids who don't mind a bit of navigation, though younger children might find the moorland terrain monotonous. Walkers after a straightforward afternoon leg-stretch will find it exactly what they need.

There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of - no café, no car park with facilities - so bring water and snacks. The nearest proper town is Penrith, which has all the usual services. If you're staying at one of the local holiday parks like Park Foot or Ullswater, it's close enough for a morning expedition before heading elsewhere in the Lakes.

Go midweek if you can. Weekends bring more folk, which somewhat defeats the purpose of choosing somewhere this quiet. The fell's best in autumn when the light's low and moody, though it's accessible most of the year if you're sensible about weather.