Grubbing Spring

A proper woodland walk rather than a tourist attraction with signage and facilities - that's what you're getting at Grubbing Spring, just outside Kendal. The spring itself emerges from the forest floor, feeding a small stream that runs through dense Cumbrian woodland. It's the kind of place locals know about and visitors stumble upon by accident, which is rather the point.

Walkers will find it worthwhile, especially if you're after a quieter alternative to the more trampled Lake District paths. The woodland is thick enough to feel proper isolated, even though you're barely ten minutes from town. Most people allow an hour or so to wander the immediate area and follow the stream a bit, though there's scope to extend it into a longer forest ramble if you've got the legs for it.

There's no visitor centre, no car park with a gift shop - you'll need to find a spot on a nearby road and walk in. That also means no opening hours or admission fee to worry about, just a basic bit of woodland navigation. Families with young children might find it a touch underwhelming on its own, but it works brilliantly as part of a broader Lake District fortnight, especially if you're based at Windermere Camping or Kendal Camping nearby. Pair it with a proper lake walk or a visit to one of the bigger attractions and you've got a solid day mapped out.

Best visited in autumn or early spring when the woodland isn't swamped with midges and the undergrowth isn't quite so dense.