Ambleside

Stone cottages cluster around the head of Windermere like they've been there since the fells first rose from the earth. Ambleside feels proper Lake District - all slate roofs and whitewashed walls, with the River Rothay threading through the centre and walkers tramping through in mud-caked boots.

The town sits in a natural amphitheatre of peaks that would make even jaded hikers reach for their cameras. Silver How looms to the west, while Helm Crag - famously known as the Lion and the Lamb - dominates the northern skyline. These aren't gentle Sunday stroll hills either. Steel Fell and Seat Sandal demand respect, though the views from their summits across the central fells are well worth the lung-burning ascent.

Wordsworth country, this. Dove Cottage in nearby Grasmere draws the literary pilgrims, while the poet himself rests at William Wordsworth's Grave in the village churchyard. Less crowded but equally rewarding is the Copt Howe Artwork Carvings, ancient cup and ring marks that predate the Romans by millennia.

Art lovers shouldn't miss Lakes Art Gallery or Fitzwilliam Fine Art, both showcasing work inspired by this dramatic landscape. When the weather turns - and it will - these galleries offer proper shelter and some cracking local pieces.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The A591 runs straight up from Kendal, while regular buses connect with Windermere station. Staying at one of the nearby parks like Lakeside Retreat Glamping puts you right in the heart of walking country, with Wyke Plantation and Highpark Wood offering gentler alternatives when the peaks are shrouded in cloud. You're also perfectly placed for day trips to Grasmere or the western valleys.