Orrest Head is the small hill that rises 240 metres directly above Windermere station, and it remains the best introductory walk in the Lake District. The path begins almost from the station itself — a signed lane that climbs through woodland, then opens out at a stone-walled summit with benches and a viewpoint indicator. From the top you can see the lake stretched out below, the rugged silhouette of the Langdale Pikes to the west, and, on a clear day, the Coniston Fells and Helvellyn.
Allow an hour up and back. The path is well-graded and suitable for any reasonably fit walker; no special boots are needed in summer. The walk is at its best in late afternoon, when the sun is on the western fells and the steamers leave their wakes across the lake far below.