Maiden Moor

The walk up Maiden Moor from Keswick is properly steep, but the effort pays off once you're above the tree line. You get a real sense of the Lake District's fell terrain here - nothing too technical, just relentless climbing through bracken and loose stone until suddenly you're looking across Derwent Water and the valleys beyond. It's the kind of view that makes you understand why people bother with hiking boots.

This isn't a casual stroll. Allow a good three to four hours for the round trip, depending on your fitness. The path from Keswick starts at Moot Hall and follows the ridge towards Cat Bells - Maiden Moor itself sits on this route and rewards you with 1,887 metres of elevation. Families with younger legs might find the ascent punishing, but older kids who like a proper challenge will get something from it. Walkers training for bigger fells will find it useful, though it's hardly demanding by Alpine standards.

The actual summit isn't dramatic - no trig point or cairn that screams 'I climbed this'. What you get instead is space and sky, and on a clear day, sight lines across to Blencathra and the northern peaks. Come early to avoid the post-lunch crowds, and bring water. There's nothing on the fell itself.

If you're based at Castlerigg Hall or the Keswick Camping and Caravanning Club site, both within four miles, this makes a solid half-day excursion alongside other walks in the area. It's worth the trip, though it won't be the highlight of your Lake District visit unless you're genuinely into fell walking.