Heron

White Scar Cave is a show cave under Ingleborough, in the Chapel-le-Dale valley of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is the longest show cave in Britain, formed in Carboniferous limestone and first explored in 1923. Every visit is a guided tour, covering about a mile and taking around 80 minutes.

Tip: Wear a jumper or jacket, as the cave is a cool 8°C all year; the time of the next tour is displayed at the ticket office.

The Forbidden Corner is a folly garden in the Tupgill Park Estate at Coverham in Coverdale, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Built in the 1980s as a private pleasure garden, it opened to the public in 1997. The Folly Fellowship voted it the best European folly of the 20th century.

Tip: Check the official website before you go to see how tickets are booked.

Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle in Wensleydale, built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard, 1st Baron Scrope. Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner here for six months, and an audio app has a recording for each room of the castle, covering her captivity, how Lord Scrope's army prepared for war and how the servants kept the household running.

Tip: Catch the bird of prey display and the boar feeding, and use the audio app to hear the story of each room.

Lancaster Castle is a Grade I listed medieval castle and former prison on a hilltop in the city centre, standing on the site of three successive Roman forts. English Heritage has called it the North-West's most important historic and archaeological monument. It served as a prison for centuries, and part of it still hosts Crown Court sittings.

Tip: There's no on-site car park and on-street spaces are limited to 2 hours, so use one of Lancaster's larger car parks or the park and ride.

Sizergh is a Grade I listed castle and stately home about 4 miles south of Kendal, in the Lake District National Park. The oldest part is a tower from the fourteenth or fifteenth century. Inside, you'll find oak-panelled rooms, including the Inlaid Chamber, plus Strickland family portraits and paintings linked to the Stuart court in exile.

Tip: Dogs are welcome on the wider estate, but only assistance dogs are allowed in the gardens, so plan your route accordingly.

Malham Cove is a large curved limestone cliff about a kilometre north of Malham village, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It was shaped by a waterfall carrying glacial meltwater at the end of the last Ice Age. The cliff is 80 metres high and more than 300 metres wide, and a large limestone pavement lies above it.

Tip: To reach the limestone pavement on top, take the roughly 400 uneven stone steps on the west side of the cliff.

Lakes Aquarium sits in the village of Lakeside on the southern shore of Windermere. It opened in 1997 and is now themed around the lakes of the world, with both freshwater and salt water animals. Displays cover the Lake District, Asia, Africa, the Americas, marine life and Morecambe Bay.

Tip: The Windermere Lake Cruises dock and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway are both here, so you can arrive by boat or steam train.

Levens Hall is a privately owned house and garden five miles south of Kendal, at the gateway to the Lake District National Park. It grew from a medieval pele tower into an Elizabethan family home, with fine panelling and plasterwork in the main rooms. It also has links to the Duke of Wellington.

Tip: Tickets can be bought online in advance or on arrival at the entrance kiosk, and online tickets aren't tied to a date or time.