Red Pike

The walk up Red Pike from Buttermere is proper steep, but the reward is a view that justifies every burning calf muscle. At 755 metres, it's not the highest fell around Cockermouth, but the panorama across the lake and down into the valleys is genuinely outstanding. You get Crummock Water laid out below you like a map, and on a clear day the Irish Sea glints in the distance. Most people take the path from Buttermere village itself - about two hours up, depending on fitness - and it's a straightforward route without technical scrambling, though the scree near the top can be loose underfoot.

This is one for walkers who don't mind a proper effort for their views. Families with younger kids might struggle with the gradient, but teenagers who've done a few fells will eat it up. The whole outing takes three to four hours from the car park, so pack a decent lunch and water. It's free, of course - it's a fell.

Come when the weather's settled. I've done it in mist and couldn't see my boots, which is miserable rather than dangerous but entirely pointless. Early morning gives you the best light and the fewest other walkers. If you're staying at Whinfell Hall Farm Campsite - just six miles away near Bassenfell - this makes an excellent day's walk without needing to drive elsewhere. Combine it with a pint in Cockermouth afterwards and you've got a solid day out.