Sunderland Heads

The walk up Sunderland Heads, just outside Wigton, rewards you with proper Lake District views without the crowds you'd face on the bigger fells. It's a modest peak - nothing dramatic - but the path is straightforward enough and the vistas across to Skiddaw and the northern mountains justify the effort.

You're looking at a fairly gentle ascent through farmland and moorland. The summit itself is a bit anticlimactic - just a cairn and fellside - but stand there on a clear day and you see why people bother. The breadth of the view is the thing. East towards the Pennines, west to Ullswater's direction, and those proper fell shoulders all around.

This works best for walkers who want a decent leg-stretch without committing to a full-day expedition. Kids can manage it fine if they're used to hills; less useful if they want scrambling or drama. Families based at Skiddaw View Holiday Park or Forest Views, just down the road, can knock this out in a couple of hours and be back for lunch. It's the sort of walk you do on a Tuesday when the weather's decent and you've had enough of driving round looking for attractions.

Go early or late afternoon for better light on the valleys. Free, obviously - it's a fell. No facilities up there, so bring water. The approach from Wigton is straightforward enough, and parking's never an issue. Not Instagram material, but genuinely worthwhile if you're doing a walking holiday and want something real without the Catbells crowds.