Heron Pike

Heron Pike sits at 612 metres in the northern Lake District, about four miles south-west of Penrith. It's a proper little mountain - nothing dramatic, but genuinely satisfying once you're up there. The walk from Glenridding (a village on Ullswater's shore) takes around two hours each way, climbing steadily through fell and moorland before the final push to the summit. You get wide views across the lake and down into Patterdale, all of it honest and unshowy.

This is walker territory, full stop. You'll need decent boots, a map, and the weather forecast on your side - the fell can get soggy and claggy when it rains. Kids of secondary school age upwards will manage fine if they're used to hills. Younger ones might find it a trudge without proper motivation.

There's nothing to pay, no facilities at the top, and no crowds in the way you'd get at the more famous peaks. That's the whole appeal. You come for the walk itself and the quiet - not for a cafe or a gift shop. Allow a good four to five hours door-to-door if you're staying at Ullswater Holiday Park (five miles away) or one of the caravan sites near Penrith.

Worth doing? If you're based at any of the nearby holiday parks and you're a reasonably fit walker, absolutely. It's not the Lake District's flashiest fell, but it earns its place. Go on a clear day or don't bother - the views are the whole point, and cloud cover here leaves you looking at grey nothing.