Poetry Stones

A short drive from Penrith takes you to Poetry Stones, a historic site that's less crowded than the Lake District's bigger attractions but arguably more interesting if you're into local history. The stones themselves are carved with verses - a genuinely unusual way to mark a landscape. You're essentially walking around reading poems literally set in stone, which sounds quirky but actually works rather well.

It's the kind of place that appeals most to walkers and anyone with a soft spot for literary oddities. You won't need more than an hour here, though lingering types could stretch it to ninety minutes if they're reading everything properly. Kids might find it a bit static unless they're already poem-keen, but family groups staying at somewhere like Ullswater Holiday Park (less than two miles away) could easily slot it into a morning before heading to the water for the afternoon.

The site is free and accessible without any formal opening hours that we can pin down, so you're not beholden to anything. That flexibility is rather nice - turn up when it suits you. It's the sort of spot that works brilliantly as a quiet counterpoint to busier Lake District stops. If you're based at any of the caravan parks nearby - Park Foot is only three miles off, or Waterfoot if you want something more secluded - Poetry Stones makes for a proper low-key outing without the queues you'd hit at Windermere or Ambleside.