Eycott Hill

The walk up Eycott Hill is a proper Lake District opener. At just 359 metres, it's hardly a lung-buster, but the climb rewards you with views across the Northern Fells that feel disproportionately good for the effort required. You can be up and down in under two hours, which makes it ideal if you're camped nearby around Penrith and want something achievable before lunch.

The approach from the south is straightforward enough - moorland paths that climb steadily but never turn vicious. On a clear day the views sweep across to Blencathra and Skiddaw, and south towards Helvellyn. On a grey one you'll see about fifty metres in any direction, which is fine but not the point of coming.

This is walker territory rather than a family ramble, though teenagers won't struggle with it. You won't find visitor facilities - no cafe, no car park with a gift shop. That's the whole appeal. It's the sort of hill you do when you're staying at one of the caravan parks within a few miles of Penrith, perhaps Beckses or Troutbeck Head, and you need a genuine walk without driving anywhere. Ewe Love and Carrock are nearer, though those glamping pods tend to fill with people after Instagram finds.

Allow a full afternoon if you're combining it with a stroll round Penrith itself. Go midweek if possible - weekends pull weekend warriors from Manchester who treat the whole fell as a photo opportunity. Worth doing once, certainly. Whether you'll come back depends entirely on the weather.