Long Pike

The walk up Long Pike from Ambleside is proper steep, but it doesn't take long - you're looking at around two hours return if you're reasonably fit. The fell itself sits at 902 metres and overlooks the Langdale Valley, which means on a clear day you get views that stretch all the way across to the Coniston fells. It's the kind of place where you understand why people move to the Lake District and never leave.

This is walkers' territory, no question about it. Families with young children might struggle with the gradient, though determined parents with older kids (say, 10 plus) will find it manageable. The path is well-trodden and clear, starting from near Ambleside and climbing steadily through woodland before opening out onto the fell proper. What makes it worthwhile isn't any dramatic summit feature - there's no cairn or shelter, just open moorland and that view - it's the walk itself and the sense of achievement when you crest the top.

If you're based at Great Langdale Campsite or any of the other parks nearby, Long Pike works perfectly as a morning outing before lunch. It's close enough that you won't waste half your day getting there, but hard enough to feel like you've properly earned your afternoon rest. The exposed top catches wind quickly, so time it for decent weather. Go in spring or early autumn when the crowds thin out and the light is best.