Heysham Park

The walk through Heysham Park takes you along limestone cliffs where the land just drops away towards the sea. It's a proper stretch of coastline that most people driving past Carlisle never bother with, which is exactly why it's worth the detour. The reserve itself runs along the shoreline with paths that wind past rocky outcrops and patches of scrubland where you'll spot curlews and the occasional peregrine if you're lucky. There's real geology here too - the rock formations tell you something about how this bit of the world was built.

For families, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Young kids will enjoy scrambling on rocks for an hour or so, but there's no playground infrastructure or facilities to speak of. Walkers and birdwatchers will find genuine value in it though. The paths are manageable without being trivial, and the coastline itself is properly dramatic rather than twee. You're looking at a couple of hours if you take it slowly, maybe just one if you're on a mission.

If you're based at Green Acres or Thornfield - both within easy reach - this works as a morning out before heading back for lunch. The access is straightforward from Carlisle, and it won't be rammed even in high summer. Bring binoculars if you're into birds, and time it for low tide if you want to explore the shoreline properly. It's the sort of place that reminds you that not everything in Cumbria needs to be a three-hour fell walk to be worth your while.