Pen-y-Ghent

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Ashton Memorial is a Grade I listed folly in Williamson Park, Lancaster. Lord Ashton had it built in memory of his wife Jessy, and it was completed in 1909 to a design by John Belcher. At around 150 feet tall, it dominates the Lancaster skyline. It has been called "England's grandest folly" and the "Taj Mahal of the North".

Tip: The first floor outdoor viewing gallery looks out over the countryside, Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland fells.

This family-run heritage railway is a former Furness Railway branch line, about 3 miles long. Steam engines haul traditional 1950s carriages through the countryside of the Leven Valley, from Haverthwaite via Newby Bridge to Lakeside, at the southern end of Windermere.

Tip: The railway runs as a seasonal steam operation, so check the timetable on the railway's website before you set off.

Holker Hall is a privately owned country house near Cartmel, still the home of the Cavendish family. The Hall's west wing was rebuilt by the architects Paley and Austin after a major fire in 1871, and you can walk through its rooms, many of them furnished with paintings and furniture brought from Chatsworth. Wheelchair access to the Hall is limited to the ground floor.

Tip: Dogs are welcome everywhere except inside the Hall, on leads. Parking is free, and you can buy tickets at the kiosk on arrival.