If you're fit (ish) why not try fell running? Before moving to the Lakes a few years ago I thought fell running was for bearded, scraggy, mountain-goat types. Not at all, it's so much fun.

Ditch the heavy walking boots and bulky rucksacks, slip on some fell shoes (lightweight and nobbly) and go. Walk up the steep hills, run along the ridges, trot down. You're moving faster so don't need lots of clothes, you drink out of becks. Nothing beats running along a mountain ridge on a clear day with your mates (or simply your dog) alongside.

Having said all that, my husband's in the mountain rescue team and would never forgive me for encouraging people to get into trouble - so start with something relatively easy (perhaps walk up Catbells, run along and up on to Maiden Moor, drop off on the Grange side and run back through Manesty Wood and alongside Derwentwater). Great route - and it's not on my husband's patch!

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Get up early and have the fells to yourself. There will be far more wildlife around (I saw two roe deer, three red squirrel, pheasants and rabbits in the woods overlooking Bassenthwaite this morning) and no one on the tops. I was running with my dog for more than an hour, through the woods and up on to Lord's Seat and Barf, and met no one until I returned to the car park at Spout Force and some Americans asked the way to the waterfall. Set your alarm, the earlier the better.

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