Gale Hill

The walk up Gale Hill rewards you with proper panoramic views across the Eden Valley - on a clear day you can see right across to the Pennines. It's not a mountain by any stretch, but that's rather the point. This is Cumbrian fell country where modest heights deliver disproportionate vistas, and Gale Hill does exactly that without demanding the full day commitment of something like High Cup.

From Appleby-in-Westmorland, it's accessible without needing a car at all if you're staying nearby, though most visitors come from the town itself. The approach is straightforward enough for families with older kids and regular walkers, though the final stretch has a bit of bite to it. The summit itself offers that satisfying moment where the whole valley opens out below you - the kind of view that justifies the leg work.

If you're based at Wild Rose Holiday Park, Gale Hill makes a cracking half-day excursion. Allow two to three hours return, depending on your pace and how long you loiter at the top. Spring and autumn are best - you'll dodge both the summer crowds on the fells and the murk that can settle in winter. The hill isn't one of those tourist-trap peaks everyone feels obligated to tick off, which means you might well have it to yourself. That's the real appeal.