Hard Hill

The walk up Hard Hill isn't exactly a secret, but it's worth doing precisely because so few visitors bother with it. Starting from near Holmrook, you're looking at a proper fell walk rather than a casual stroll - steep in places, boggy in others, but absolutely worth the effort once you crest the summit. The views across the Lake District are genuinely good, especially on a clear day when you can pick out the wider fells rolling away toward the coast. It's the kind of peak that rewards you for getting there without requiring technical climbing skills.

For walkers, this is proper stuff - you'll want decent boots and about three hours round trip depending on your fitness. Families with older kids will manage fine if they're used to hill walking; younger ones might struggle with the steep sections and the inevitably muddy patches. Solitude-seekers absolutely should come here, particularly midweek. You won't be tramping over crowds like you would on some of the more famous peaks.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the summit itself - it's just you, the landscape, and the wind. That's rather the point. Free to access, obviously. If you're staying at Fisherground Campsite nearby, Hard Hill works brilliantly as a half-day mission without eating into your wider Lake District explorations. Go early in the day if possible. The light is better, and the weather more likely to hold.