Chapels Hill

The walk up Chapels Hill from Cockermouth is one of those straightforward fellside climbs that catches people off guard with how rewarding it turns out to be. Nothing dramatic - it's only 330 metres, so you're not talking a major expedition - but the views across the Lake District fells and down to the Derwent Valley make it proper worthwhile on a clear day.

The route itself is accessible enough for most walkers with reasonable fitness. You'll gain the height steadily without any real scrambling, which means families with older kids can manage it without too much fuss. Younger children might find it a slog, though - it's the kind of hill that feels longer than the map suggests when you're small.

What makes it work is the sense of space once you're up there. You're not hemmed in by trees or competing with crowds. On a weekday, you might have the place to yourself. The summit isn't a dramatic peak - more of a gentle high point - but that somehow adds to the appeal. It's a proper working landscape, not a postcard moment.

If you're staying at Greysouthen Caravan Site just outside town, or any of the other parks in the Cockermouth area like Whinfell Hall Farm, this makes for a decent half-day outing. Two to three hours there and back depending on pace and how long you linger at the top. Go on a dry day - the exposed sections can be boggy, and that'll slow you down considerably.