Floutern Cop

The walk up Floutern Cop rewards you with something Cumbria does better than anywhere else - a view that stretches for miles without the crowds you'll find on the bigger fells. From Cockermouth, it's an accessible climb that doesn't demand fell-walker credentials, though your legs will know about it.

You're looking at moorland and open sky for most of the ascent. The peak itself sits at 1,040 metres, which sounds impressive until you realise it's the northern outlier of the Whinlatter range - proper Lake District territory without requiring a dawn start or specialist kit. The views across to Skiddaw and back towards the Eden Valley are excellent, particularly on a clear day when you can pick out the Scottish hills on the horizon.

This works best for walkers who want a proper fell experience without the three-hour commitment of Helvellyn or Catbells. Kids aged eight upwards will manage it fine if they're used to hills. Families staying at Whinfell Hall Farm Campsite - just 5 miles away - could knock this out as a half-day outing and still have time for a pub lunch back in Cockermouth.

Allow three to four hours return. It's free, obviously - it's a fell - and there's no specific season to avoid, though the wind can be brutal when it comes across from the north. Wet weather transforms the moorland into a boggy slog, so pick a decent day. The moorland track is well enough trodden that you won't get lost, though a map's sensible.