Orrest Head Viewpoint

Start early and you'll have this Lake District viewpoint almost to yourself. Orrest Head is a short, steep walk from Troutbeck Bridge - barely twenty minutes from the car park if you're reasonably fit, though the climb is proper sharp for what amounts to a fell-side hike rather than a casual stroll.

The reward is immediate and genuine. From the summit you get a clear view down the length of Windermere, England's largest natural lake, with the fells rising up on both sides. On a decent day it's the sort of vista that makes you understand why people bother coming to the Lake District at all. On a grey one, it's still atmospheric, even if you're squinting through the mist.

This works best for walkers rather than families with young children - the path gets muddy and uneven, and there's not much to do once you're up there except stand about and look at things. Give it forty-five minutes total including the ascent and descent. Free to visit, naturally. Go early morning or late afternoon to dodge the coach parties heading for Windermere village itself.

If you're staying at White Cross Bay or Fallbarrow, both within a couple of miles, this is your ideal warm-up walk before tackling more serious fell routes. It's close enough to slip in between breakfast and a lakeside afternoon without eating the whole day.