Meal Fell

The walk up Meal Fell from Keswick is honest fell walking - nothing fancy, nothing that'll have you scrambling or roping up, but proper rewarding all the same. You're looking at a straightforward trudge through moorland that opens onto views across the northern Lake District, with Blencathra and Skiddaw doing their bit in the distance. It takes roughly two hours to reach the summit and back, which makes it ideal for an afternoon when you can't face a full day out but still want to feel like you've earned a pint.

The fell itself is less dramatic than some of the bigger names around Keswick - there's no dramatic rocky crag, no scramble to get you buzzing - but that's precisely why families with older kids and casual walkers might prefer it. The path is clear enough in decent weather, and the moorland has that open, windswept feeling that makes you feel properly out there without the technical challenge. Allow three hours including a break at the top.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Kestrel Lodge is only 2.5 miles away - this works as a warm-up walk before tackling the bigger peaks, or a standalone outing if the weather's dodgy elsewhere. Go in decent boots with a map. Keswick sits right at its doorstep, making it genuinely convenient for a park holiday without needing to drive far. Worth doing, though don't expect solitude or spectacular drama.