The Bishop of Barf

The Bishop of Barf is a 1,600-foot rocky pinnacle rising dramatically from the fell above Keswick, crowned with a stone cairn that's been there since the 18th century. You're looking at what locals call a fell-top folly - built ostensibly as a monument but really just an excuse to mark the summit with something memorable.

Getting up here takes about two hours from the car park at the base of Latrigg fell, and it's properly steep in places. The reward is a 360-degree Lake District view that justifies the huff and puff. You'll see Keswick spread out below, Derwent Water glinting away, and on clear days the peaks march off in every direction. The cairn itself is modest - just a stack of stones - but stand beside it and you feel like you've actually earned something.

This works best for walkers with decent fitness. Families with young kids might find the scramble tedious unless they're keen hillwalkers already. History buffs get a kick from the 18th-century provenance and the slightly daft Victorian attitude to stacking rocks on mountains.

It's free, it's always accessible, and there's no specific time needed beyond whatever your legs can manage. The fell is exposed, so wind and weather call the shots. If you're based at any of the Keswick-area campsites - Castlerigg Hall or Kestrel Lodge are closest at under five miles - it makes a proper morning or afternoon expedition. Pair it with Latrigg's easier paths for a fuller day out.