Windemere I Airfield

Grass runways and concrete hardstandings mark what remains of this wartime RAF training station, where young pilots learned to fly Tiger Moths and Oxfords during the Second World War. The airfield operated from 1941 to 1946, and while most of the original buildings have long since vanished, you can still trace the outline of the runways and spot the odd bit of wartime infrastructure poking through the bracken.

Aviation enthusiasts and local history buffs will get the most from a visit here. The site's pretty exposed - essentially farmland now - so there's not masses to see unless you know what you're looking for. Kids might enjoy the wide open spaces for a kickabout, but they'll probably lose interest in the historical significance fairly quickly.

It's free to wander about, though access depends on the farmer's goodwill and crop cycles. Spring and early summer work best when the ground's firmer underfoot. Allow an hour tops unless you're really into aircraft archaeology.

The location works well for families staying at nearby Fallbarrow or White Cross Bay holiday parks - it's close enough to Windermere for a quick historical detour before heading to the lake. Not exactly a destination in its own right, but a proper slice of wartime Lake District history that most visitors walk straight past without realising.