West Fell

The walk up West Fell from Kendal doesn't announce itself as anything special - there's no visitor centre, no café, no facilities at all really. What you get instead is a proper fell walk that rewards the effort with views across the Lake District that justify every step of the climb.

It's a straightforward ascent, not technical, but steep enough that you'll feel your legs working. The fell itself is open moorland with a clear path most of the way, and once you're up there, you can see right across to the distant peaks. On a clear day it's genuinely good. On a grey one, well, you're in the clouds and the romance rather fades.

Walkers will get the most from this - anyone after a proper leg-stretcher who doesn't mind rough ground and can navigate themselves. It takes two to three hours depending on pace and your level of fitness. Families with young kids might find it bit of a slog without the payoff of a summit shelter or facilities.

If you're basing yourself at Two Acre Glamping Pods near Kendal, West Fell makes a cracking day out. It's genuinely local, so no faff with driving to the honey-pot peaks everyone else is climbing. The walk is free, obviously - it's just open fell - and you'll want to go early, especially weekends, because the path is popular once word gets out.