Hallin Fell

About 30–40 minutes up from the Hause (the little pass by St Peter's church, Martindale), on a broad grassy path — under an hour up and down for most walkers. It's one of the shortest summit walks in the Lake District with a view this good.

Starting from Howtown pier instead adds a gentle approach and makes a round of roughly 1.5–2 hours.

It's one of the easiest Wainwrights — 388 m (1,273 ft), short, grassy and pathed the whole way, with no scrambling. For most people it's an ideal first fell, and a favourite for families.

It is still a real little hill: the direct path from the Hause is steep enough to get you breathing, and the north side above Ullswater has craggy drops, so keep children away from the edges on that flank.

At the Hause, by St Peter's church, Martindale — free but small, and it fills early on fine weekends. The lane up from Howtown is narrow with hairpins, so arrive early or have a fallback.

The car-free alternative is better than the car: take the Ullswater Steamer to Howtown and walk up from the pier — one of the nicest ways up any fell in the district.

Sources: Ullswater Steamers (opens in new tab)

Two things: the huge stone obelisk on the summit — a square-built monument around 4 m tall, one of the finest summit cairns in Lakeland — and the view along both reaches of Ullswater, which is out of all proportion to the effort of getting up.

Wainwright wrote warmly of it as the fell for people who rarely climb fells — a summit for everybody.

Yes — our route survey found gates and kissing gates only, no stiles, so a dog can do the whole walk without being lifted. The fell is grazed by sheep year-round, so keep dogs on a lead, especially in lambing season.

Not without permission. In England, wild camping needs the landowner's consent, and this is grazed farmland on a small, very popular fell — it's a poor choice for a discreet camp. Use one of the valley campsites around Ullswater instead.