Views without the walk

Castlerigg Stone Circle

A Neolithic stone circle on a hilltop plateau near Keswick, with a 360-degree view of surrounding fells reached in a couple of minutes on foot.

• Drive to it
• Step-free
• 2 min from the car
• View all round

Gummer's How

A 321m fell at the south end of Windermere, climbed in about 25 minutes from a free car park high on Fell Foot Brow.

• Drive to it
• 25 min from the car
• View all round

Hardknott Roman Fort

A ruined Roman fort on a spur above Eskdale, free to visit, with parking beside the site and panoramic valley views.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Orrest Head

A 238m wooded knoll above Windermere town, the first fell Wainwright climbed, reached from the station on a Miles Without Stiles path.

• Step-free
• View all round

Stock Ghyll Force

A wooded waterfall dropping around 21 metres in two stages, a short, stepped walk from Ambleside's main street.

• 15 min from the car

Tarn Hows

A National Trust tarn with an accessible path from the car park and views to the Coniston fells and Langdale Pikes.

• Drive to it
• Step-free
• 5 min from the car
• View all round

Cregennan Lakes

Two National Trust lakes on the slopes of Cadair Idris, reached by car, with views to the estuary and the mountain's cliffs.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Dolbadarn Castle

A ruined 13th-century round tower above Llyn Padarn, 10 to 25 minutes on foot from the car park, with views along the Llanberis Pass.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Swallow Falls (Rhaeadr Ewynnol)

A 42-metre waterfall on the Afon Llugwy, reached by a short paid path with steps from a car park just off the A5.

• Drive to it

Sychnant Pass

A road pass west of Conwy Mountain, with a car park used as an alternative starting point for walks onto the hillfort summit.

• Drive to it

Curbar Edge

A gritstone edge above the Derwent Valley reached directly from Curbar Gap car park, with views to Chatsworth and Baslow.

• Drive to it
• Faces west

High Tor, Matlock Bath

A limestone crag 120m above the Derwent gorge at Matlock Bath, with a Victorian cliff-ledge path called Giddy Edge and a view west over the valley.

• Faces west

Monsal Head

A viewpoint over Monsal Dale and the Headstone Viaduct, reached directly from a pay and display car park near Bakewell.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Surprise View

A roadside viewpoint above Hathersage looking across the Hope Valley to Mam Tor and the Great Ridge.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Winnats Pass, Castleton

Winnats Pass is the limestone gorge road west of Castleton in the Peak District. Park at Speedwell Cavern or Castleton; walk beside the road or above it.

• Drive to it
• View all round

Aysgarth Falls

Three limestone-stepped falls on the River Ure, with a firm, wide path from the National Park car park to the Upper and Middle Falls.

• Step-free

Hardraw Force

A single 30m plunge in a limestone amphitheatre behind the Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw, 1.5km north of Hawes, reached across private land for a fee.

Cairngorm Ski Road and Coire Cas

A public road from Glenmore to a car park at 635 metres below Cairn Gorm, with views back over Strathspey.

• Drive to it
• Step-free
• 2 min from the car
• View all round

Corrieshalloch Gorge

A 1.5km-long, 60-metre-deep gorge crossed by a Victorian suspension bridge, with the Falls of Measach seen from a viewing platform.

• Drive to it
• 5 min from the car

Glenfinnan Viaduct Viewpoint

The curving 21-arch railway viaduct made famous by the Jacobite steam train and the Harry Potter films.

• View all round

The Quiraing

A high mountain pass on Skye's Trotternish ridge, with towers and hidden plateaux visible within minutes of the car park.

• Drive to it
• 5 min from the car
• Faces east

The Study, Glen Coe

A roadside pull-in on the A82 with the classic view of the Three Sisters ridges, reached without leaving the car.

• Drive to it
• Step-free
• At the car park
• View all round