Tag: Lake Districts

Lake District – High Street – No shops here but 3 to 5 Wainwrights in the Far Eastern Fells

This is a beautiful and lesser-trodden horseshoe in the Lake District. Ideal if you are looking to bag a few Wainwrights, it includes Mardale Ill Bell, High Street, and Kidsty Pike. If you are keen to maximise your numbers, you can also take a short detour to include The Knott and Rampsgill Head. If you simply want a scenic high-level route, this is a rewarding option that’s not overly demanding. Just be mindful, it can get quite windy up there, so it’s best saved for a clear, calm day. And for wild swimming fans: consider doing the loop in reverse so you can end with a refreshing dip in Small Water.

View on the way to High Street. Looking at Small Water and Hawswater. This route takes in 3 Wainwrights: Mardale Ill bell, High Street and Kidsty Pike. Can easy extend to include The Knott and Rampsgill Head — Click on the picture to see the full slideshow and route video

Superb views across the Lake the District from the top. Click here to open the route on Komoot or contact for the link on other walking apps. — Click on the picture to see the full slideshow and route video

Stats

Difficulty	Moderate to Strenuous – No technical skills required. But a fair amount of Elevation. And some alpine paths. There is a very mild scramble on the descent.
Length	7.9 mi – 12.2 km
Total elevation	2,687 ft – 819m
Highest point	2,703 ft – 824m
Walking time	5h00
Terrain	Walking paths, Alpine paths (including some very mild scramble)
Equipment	Enough water to walk for 5 hrs. There are no pubs or cafes en route or nearby. There are some streams on the way up (until c. 2 miles) and on the way down (c. 5.9 miles) but being on a ridge; nothing in between. Also, think about layers, layers, layers ! It could be a stunning day in the valley but at over 2,500 ft; it can get cold. And again; you will be on ridge, be prepared for the wind-chill.

View route (Click on menu to reveal the image)

Getting there

Driving: Free car-park for 25 cars at Mardale Head, the start of the walk
Public transport: Sadly, this walk cannot be accessed by public transport

Watering Holes

Unfortunately, there are no pubs or cafes within walking distance of this walk. But within a short drive:
The Mardale Inn – Bampton – 16 mins drive
A fantastic community pub. CAMRA approved for its ale.
Closed on Wednesdays. Dinner is served Mon-Tue and Thur – Sat from 16:30-20:30, closes at 19:00 on Sunday. Lunch is available Fri and Sat from 12:00. to 14:00 and Sunday from 12:00-14:30. But you must book ahead for food. Expect pub classics as well as roasts on Sundays. But also some restaurant dishes such as grilled seabass with salsa verde.
Bampton is famous for being the filming location of Withnail & I.
The Punchbowl Inn – Askham – 24 mins drive
My favourite in the area, a traditional country inn dating from the 18th Century. Muddy paws and boots are welcome. Sit outside in the Summer and by the cosy fire in winter.
Fresh, local and home-cooked food is served Mon-Sat from 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-21:00 continuous service on Sunday from 12:00-19:00. Expect pub classics and Sunday roasts.
Good selection of ales and the pub has its own micro-brewery. It also has 6 bedrooms.

Make a week-end of it – Where to stay and eat

For walkers and film fans: The Mardale Inn – Bampton
An amazing Community pub with rooms.
See above for more details on the pub. The Inn has 6 cosy rooms. The bed mattresses use Herdwick wool from the are. Toiletries are made in the Valley. The Inn will help you plan (and load routes) for walks nearby if you do not fancy the above. They work closely with the local RSPB reserve to propose activities. Bampton village was used as filming location for Withnail & I; the village’s phone-box has a guest book for the all fans of that classic movie.

For walkers and history fans: The Punchbowl Inn – Askham
A very cosy Inn from the 18th Century.
See above for more details on the pub. The Inn has 6 cosy rooms.
Askham Hall (Lowther Castle) is on its doorstep. A fantastic place to spend the Sunday, soaking in the history and visiting the beautiful gardens.

For the luxury seekers: The Hawswater Inn listed in the 100 best place to stay in the UK by the Times Newspaper and a two rosettes restaurant. This is a beautiful property in a stunning location. A couple of minutes drive from the start of the walk. I cannot vouch for it personally but believe the service and comfort are top-notch. However; rooms cost £150 for no view and up to £380 per night. This is the best place to disconnect (no phone signal and slow wi-fi) for a romantic week-end as long as your budget is not limited.

June 9, 2025

The Langdale Pikes – 7 Wainwrights in 7 miles

The Langdale Pikes, is an iconic walk in the Central Lake District.
And for those bagging Wainwrights, this hike takes in: Loft Crag, Pike of Stickle, Harrison Stickle, Pavey Ark, Thunacar Knott, High Raise, Sergeant Man, Stickle Tarn

Stats

Difficulty	Moderate + to strenuous
Length	7 mi – 11.3 km
Total elevation	2,960 ft – 620m
Highest point	2,500 ft – 762m
Walking time	c. 5h00
Terrain	Hiking paths, footpaths and some light scrambling
Equipment	Layers, layers, layers ! The top can get exposed to wind-chill and plenty of water (Although You will cross some ghyll / stream after c. 2 miles, 4.5 miles, 5 miles, 5.5 miles, and will be following the ghyll again from the 6th mile onward) – Good sturdy shoes as some parts are bit scrambly (no technical skills required) and some parts can be muddy.

View route (Click on menu to reveal the image)

Getting there

Driving: The National Trust car park at the Langdales is free to members but expensive otherwise. The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel has a spill over in its adjacent field that is the cheaper than the NT car-park and open to anyone (you don’t have to be a guest)
Public transport: Sadly, the walk is not easily accessible by public transport.
It takes about an hour and 2 busses from Windermere

Watering Holes

The New Dungeon Ghyll – Langdale – at the beginning or end of the walk.
Owned by the Red Cat Pub Company
For sunny days; there are some seating in front of the hotel and further seating in the 6 acres garden with some deck chairs and stunning views of Crinkle Crags. For the cooler day; the Walker’s bar is open to non-residents and has a wood-burning fire.
It serves its own branded ales as well as other locally brewed ales. And the food is locally sourced.
Expect pub classics as well as gastro-pub type dishes served from 12:00 daily
You can also grab breakfast or a cup of coffee before setting off as Stickle Barn does not open before 10 am.
Stickle Barn – Langdale – at the beginning or end of the walk.
Taken over from the National Trust by Lanty Slee in May 2024; the company has spent renovating the property.
They have a free tuk-tuk service from 16:00-21:00 to the NT campsite. And live music on some nights.
Some local ales served in the bar, the beer-garden or the cute and shaded family friendly outdoors area.
Delicious cakes throughout the day and American type menu.

Make a week-end of it – Where to stay and eat

The Langdales is walker’s paradise for a week-end. You could enjoy this particular hike on one day, and take it easy the next day with my low-level walk around the Langdales the next day: https://peregrinatenw.co.uk/2024/08/13/great-and-little-langdale-a-low-level-lake-district-walk-with-4-pubs-1-swim-and-a-cathedral/
But you will find countless other options if you fancy something easier / shorter or more technical (like Jack’s Rake or rock-climbing).
Unlike Ambleside or Keswick; this would be an outdoor pursuit only week-end. There are a few options nearby for food and drinks but no shopping there.

For a luxury stay: The New Dungeon Ghyll – Langdales
It offers comfortable rooms in a mix of double, twins and family rooms.

For groups: The Great Langdale Bunkhouse – behind the New Dungeon Ghyll
Sleeps 18 divided into 3 twin rooms and two rooms of 6 (all bunk beds).
Equipped with biomass central heating and hot water with powerful showers.
Separate male and female shows and toilet facilities.
There are no self-catering options but a tavern, the New Dungeon Ghyll and Stickle Barn on its doorstep.

For a cosy B&B or self-catering for up to 6 people: Millbeck Farm – Langdale
A beautiful 17th centrury farm-building. (Actually still a working farm!) And the owners breed Herdies.
Basic rooms with shared bathrooms at the B&B. With delicious and substantial breakfast.
They also rent 2 rustic cottages that can accommodate 6 in total (Double, twin and bunk room)

September 7, 2024

Lake District – Scout Scar: A castle, a cafe at the dairy parlor and a pub

This low-level walk near Kendal is under 10miles but punches above its weight. It takes in a medieval castle owned by the National Trust, a cafe and farm-shop where you watch the cows being milked and a pub that serves delicious food.

Scout Scar is a Wainwright Outlying Fell in the Lake District. This is a walk 10 miles walk starting from Sizergh, near Kendal (South Lakes). It also takes in a Medieval castle run by the National Trust, a farm-shop at a dairy parlor where you can watch the milking and the Strickland Arms pub — Click on the picture to see the full slideshow and route video

Stats

Difficulty	Moderate
Length	10 mi – 16.2 km
Total elevation	1,506 ft – 459m
Highest point	735ft – 224m
Walking time	4h15
Terrain	paths, roads, walking paths, streets
Equipment	Enough water to walk 8 miles or 3h30. There is a cafe at the Beginning and the end but nothing in between.

View route (Click on menu to reveal the image)

Getting there

Driving: 6 free car-parks along the way: On Nannypie Lane before the Stricklands Arm / Near St John’s Church Helsington / Underbarrow Road before the paid Scout-scar car-park / Brigsteer Road / Scroggs Lane / Hawes Lane
Public transport: Kendal Bus X6 to the Approach stop (C. 20 mins)
From Manchester: Train to Carnforth then bus 755 to the Approach stop (c. 2h05)
From Preston: Train to Arnside then bus 552 to the Approach Stop (c. 1h50)
From Lancaster: Bus 555 to Ashbank lane stop (c. 45mins)
From Carlisle: Train to Kendal then Bus 555 to Ashbank lane stop (c. 1h35)

Watering Holes

The cafe at Sizergh Castle – Sizergh – C. half a mile after the start (15 mins).
National Trust Cafe
This is handy if you have forgotten water, your lunch or want a perk me up coffee before starting the walk.
Wheatsheaf Inn – Brigsteer – Technically not on the original route, but worth the small detour. It would only be 2.29 miles in (c. 1h00) and would add an extra mile to your walk. Happy to customize the gpx, AllTrails or Komoot to include on the route.
Owned by Robinsons breweries. This cosy tenanted pub offers good ales, pies, pub classics and sandwiches; a beer garden for the summer and a roaring log-fire in the winter. Food served from 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-20:00 Monday – Thursday and 12:00 to 20:00 on Friday to Sunday. The pub also has 6 rooms. (See below sections). Muddy paws and boots are always welcome.
Romneys – Helsington / Kendal – Again, not on the route but a detour worth making. This would be at the 6.5 miles (c. 3 hrs) and would add an extra mile to the walk.
It is a traditional Cumbrian pub with rooms. The local ale and food with delicious pub classics, carvery on Sunday. Prices are very reasonable for the area and there are several options in the children’s menu.
Beer garden with a children’s play area, log-fire for the winter and dogs are welcome. The pub also offers accommodation (see below section for details)
Low Sizergh Barn Cafe – Sizergh – C. 9.2 miles after the start (4h00).
The best one if you are walking with the kids – A dairy parlor where you can watch the cows being milked at 15:30.
Delicious ice-creams, farm-shop and the raw milk is on sale.
The Strickland Arms – Sizergh – At the end (or beginning) of the walk.
The best for gourmets – it is listed in Michelin and Good Food guide. The food is home-made and cooked to order. The ale is just as good and the pub recommended by the good beer guide. A favorite with the locals and dog-owners. It is a very cosy pub with a large beer-garden, outside dining with a view and a roaring fire.

Make a week-end of it – Why South Lakes and Kendal ?

For those who have never visited the Lake Districts, Kendal is not a bad place to start from. The first largest town in the National Park, yet less crowded with tourists and more down to earth than Windermere. You will find the genuine cumbrian hospitality that made the region, a good selection of places to eat and drink; shops for the outdoors enthusiast offering better value than their counter-parts in Ambleside and further north. A farmer’s market and great brewery for the foodies. There is an array of scenic low-level walks in the area and good bus connections to the Lakes.

For the seasoned mountaineers and fell-walkers a wet and cold day on the fells is not always a pleasant experience. Whether you have ticked all all your Wainwrights already you do not fancy a high-level walk with poor visibility on a day where the weather is unkind; the outlying fells are perfect to keep you ticking.

For the culture enthusiasts there are multitude of place to visit around Kendal: Sizergh Castle, a medieval castle owned by the National Trust; the Levens Hall, an Elizabethan country manor with gardens and a deer park; Abbot Hall art gallery for fine art from the 18th-20th century and last but not least, the Kendal Museum with its collections of Natural History, Cumbrian history and World Wildlife gallery

For the adventurers: Kendal has a climbing hall, Adventure Makers has a meeting point not far from the climbing centre and offers guides to take you Ghyll scrambling, Canyoning, and caving.

Make a week-end of it – Where to stay and eat

For walkers: The Weatsheaf Inn
The Inn has 6 cosy rooms above its pub

For a lazy Sunday: Romneys in Helsington offers 5 self-catering cottages and 5 snugs. Very close to both Kendal town centre and the walk route. Stay overnight and enjoy an amazing Sunday Lunch at the pub.

For the campers and families: Sizergh Barn and Farm – tent and caravan pitches as well as a glamping pods that sleeps 4 and has a kitchenette.
Enjoy the walk, a visit to Sizergh Castle with a unique stay on an Organic Dairy farm. It has an award winning farm shop and cafe. Sells raw milk and you can watch the cows being milked everyday at 15:30.

July 15, 2024