I'm just back from a short summer break up in the Lake District, which is a particularly awe-inspiring part of the north west of England, famed for its"er lakes for one and also for its mountains. This landscape was made famous by Romantic artists and poets, most notably William Wordsworth and is well worth a look if you're ever over this way.

Our plan was to intersperse deep relaxation with mountain walks, picnics and sampling of the local ales and ciders. Fortunately, we were blessed with the hottest week in the Lakes for 10 years. And you won't really understand the monumental good fortune until you realize that the north of England and the UK in general tends to be cold and rainy and windy and generally inclement. Throw into the mix, a range of England's highest mountains and you've got a recipe for fog, howling gales and a week of clinging to rock faces in a battle against the elements.

But not only did we have no fog and no rain, we also had a week of constant sunshine and blistering heat. In addition, the impending solstice meant the evenings were particularly light, especially as were so far north. Ahh, it was all good and the lazing began straight away.

After a winter spent trapped in the urban sprawl of London, it was good to be in striking distance of some of the most rugged landscapes the UK has to offer. Our first walk was meant to be a wee stroll, but turned into a bit of a route march, on a rather hot and sticky day.

I got to thinking that if it was a computer game I'd have given up, as there were no gold coins to collect and I wasn't even levelling up. Where's the reward in that? What's the point of toiling up a hill, if you're not even going to get any bonus items?

Well, the point of this particular quest was to get to the top of the hill for the 360 degree view that the symbol on the map promised us. We got lost part of the way and had to struggle along a hot, dry road for a while, with no picturesque woodland cosseting us within its shady branches. But the view – ah dear play chums, the view was well worth the journey.

Our second quest was to get to the top of a famous landmark call Coniston Old Man, which features in one of Wordsworth's most famous poems. It is a huge, imposing hunk of rock, rising 803 metres above sea level – it's no Rocky Mountain, but still an impressive sight in the most stunning part of the country I've ever been to.

We embarked on our journey at 6:30 in the evening because the day had been so hot. Even at that time of day the sun was hot and we were glad to reach the shadow of the mountain. With only the fell sheep as our companions we made the long slow walk up and round the Old Man.

The first major landmark we reached was a tarn, which was just before our next stopping point. This mountain lake was an inky blue and silent and still. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a giant tentacle shoot out and make a grab for our ankles. In the heat of the day the water would have been inviting, but now it was shadowy and foreboding – definite end of level boss territory.

Then it was time to ascend a long winding, stony staircase that had been chiselled into the side of the mountain. Like two little hobbits we struggled up the unforgiving rocky ladder, edging closer to the top. "Surely I must be at least level 23 by now," I thought, but looking up, there was still a significant amount of staircase left, even though the tarn was already far below me.

Then finally, I dragged myself to the top to be greeted a cool, refreshing breeze and the most amazing view I've ever seen. That was worth more than 10 million bonus items, or secret costumes. My heart was thumping and my legs were aching and before me stretched a sea of mountain tops, as far as the eye could see. And they were all bathed in the pale pinks, lilacs and gold of early evening sunshine. No videogame could ever match that for beauty and pure exhilaration.

I'd physically scaled that mountain and felt every step of it, which means the reward was so much sweeter. This is something videogames will never be able to simulate. There's a special pleasure gained from doing something for its own sake. Walking in a place that is as harsh and inhospitable as it is beautiful and inviting is one of those special pleasures.

Games have made my heart skip a beat and given me sweaty palms, followed by tension headaches. They have taken me through a cornucopia of emotions, scaling the dizzy heights of elation, through to amusement, frustration and abject horror. I've gasped at the graphics on videogames, but they're soon replaced by new graphics on the latest machine and the latest game.

However, the view from Coniston Old Man is timeless. It has been viewed by many before me and will wow many after me, it will always be breathtaking and only goes to prove there are some things that videogames just can't do.

‘The solid mountains shone bright as the clouds"and, in the meadows and the lower grounds, was all the sweetness of a common dawn"" — William Wordsworth, The Prelude: Book Four