Lindeth Tarn

You'll find this small tarn tucked away on the fells above Windermere, which makes it far less crowded than the main lake below. It's a proper mountain pool - dark water, steep rocky banks, and the kind of place where the wind whips across the surface and you feel properly away from it all. The walk up takes a decent effort but rewards you with genuine isolation and views that justify the climb.

Lindeth Tarn itself isn't enormous, so don't expect hours of wandering. Most people get thirty minutes to an hour out of it before heading back down. It's best suited to walkers with some fitness, really - families with small children will find the approach bit steep for what it is. Anyone after a quiet water spot away from the honeypot attractions around Windermere will love it though. The rocky shoreline makes for scrambling about and spotting the occasional fish, and on a clear day the fell views are excellent.

Camp nearby and you've got proper fell-walking on your doorstep. Lakeland Glamping sits just 3.7 miles away with solid reviews, or the Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site if you want something more traditional. Either base gives you easy access to this walk plus the full range of Lake District activities - it's the kind of spot that rewards a slightly longer trip rather than a quick detour.