Stainton Pike

The walk up Stainton Pike from Holmrook is straightforward and genuinely rewarding - nothing too technical, but it climbs 385 metres so you'll feel like you've done something by the time you reach the cairn. The views across the Lake District fells and down towards the coast are proper excellent, especially on a clear day when you can pick out the Solway Firth in the distance.

It's an ideal half-day venture for walkers of mixed ability. Families with kids aged eight and up will manage the ascent without complaint, though very young ones might struggle with the gradient. The peak itself is modest - a stone cairn, nothing fancy - but that's rather the point. You're paying for the walk and the outlook, not tourist infrastructure.

Start early if you're doing this in summer; the car park at Striding Edge fills quickly. Allow a solid two hours for the round trip if you're taking your time, less if you're brisk. There's no cafe at the top, so bring water. Free to access, naturally.

If you're based at Fisherground Campsite nearby, this sits perfectly into a Cumbrian walking holiday - close enough for an evening ascent, far enough from the overcrowded Catbells and Helvellyn trails that you'll have some peace. Good for stretching your legs without committing to a full day's fell-walking. The views alone make the effort worthwhile.