The site of the screes of Illgill Head and Whin Rigg plunging dramatically into Wastwater’s blue waters is the first sight that greets visitors to this, one of the Lake District’s most famous valleys. It is also a valley of extremes — the lake itself is England’s deepest (258ft) and Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain (3,210ft), can be easily climbed from it via Brown Tongue or Sty Head Tarn. The excellent Wasdale Head Inn completes the valley’s list of attractions.