Orrest Head

Small hill, enormous story. This low top above Windermere is where Alfred Wainwright, on his first trip to the Lake District, was stopped in his tracks by the view; he later called it "a moment of magic." A plaque at the very top, made in his distinctive style, remembers him. The panorama still delivers: Windermere below, with Scafell Pike, the Old Man of Coniston and the Langdale Pikes on the skyline. A loop of about 3.5 miles from the pay-and-display parking at Rayrigg Meadow, on the lakeshore road between Windermere and Bowness, takes around 3 hours on level paths, grass and rocky steps. It suits anyone staying in Windermere or Bowness who wants a summit without a long drive.