Wheatsheaf Inn Campsite

It’s hard to pass by all those lakes (or gaze down at them from the hilltops) without wanting to dive right in. You can do that at Derwentwater 20 minutes’ drive away along with windsurfing and sailing, fishing and boat trips around the lake's seven little islands; Lakes Windermere (45 minutes) and Coniston (an hour) are very doable for a day combining walks and waters. While it’s tempting to overlook the coast when there’s so much Lakeland splendour around, a trip to St Bee’s Heritage Coast (40 minutes) to see the secluded bay, red sandstone cliffs and nature reserve is always a hit. Hikers merely have to decide which direction to point their boots in the morning: paths up Skiddaw (sixth-highest in England) start 20 minutes away, and it’s a similar distance to the trails up Grisedale Pike and Helvellyn. Mountain bikers should make a beeline to Whinlatter Forest Park (10 minutes) for bike hire and the longest purpose-built bike trails in the Lake District. If you want to get some practice in before hitting the heights, try the high ropes at Whinlatter Forest Park, the climbing wall at Newlands Adventure Centre (20 minutes) or scramble the old miners’ tracks on the via ferrata cableway at Honister Slate Mine (40 minutes). For an entirely different experience, drop in to the Lake District Wildlife Park 10 minutes' drive away, to see lemurs and gibbons, mandrills and capuchins mingling with meerkats and yaks.