Hang gliding take off point

The view from this hang gliding launch site near Penrith is genuinely outstanding - you're looking out across the Lake District fells with proper depth and scale. The take-off point sits high enough that you get a real sense of the landscape's bones, the way the valleys run and the terrain shifts. It's free to visit, though obviously you can't just rock up and expect to launch unless you're qualified and part of an organised club.

Walkers and fell enthusiasts will find it worth the trek up. The vantage point alone makes it worth a visit even if you're not the hang gliding type - you get that rare feeling of seeing the country the way fliers do. The walk to reach it is steady rather than brutal, and the reward is that sweeping vista across to the high fells.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Threlkeld Hall or Carrock Glamping Pods are both within three miles - it makes a decent afternoon excursion. Allow an hour or so to get up there, take in the view, maybe sit about for a bit. It's not the sort of spot where you'd hang around for half a day, but it's a proper mood-lift on a clear day.

Go when the weather's decent. On a grey Cumbrian afternoon you'll see maybe fifty yards and regret the walk. But catch it right, and you'll understand why people choose to launch from here at all.