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Lakes with Teenagers

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 Adrian Bates 20 Oct 2015
Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a walk to do with teenage kids that think 'walking up a mountain is boring'. It doesn't want to be anything too extreme either as the the youngest is 13 and is not great with heights so he might manage a grade 1 scramble that wasn't too exposed but Sharp Edge would freak him out. My wife wouldn't be too impressed either.

I was reading about Fleetwith Edge, what do people think? Is this a good walk? Does it match the bill?

Thanks in advance,
Adrian
 Wainers44 20 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

One of our favourites, in the right weather, was Steel End out of Tilberthwaite, up onto Weatherlam.

Tilberthwaite is pretty impressive, the walk up Steel end is steep and slightly scrambly but nice and quiet and the final bribe is ice cream and or chips in the Meadowdore Cafe in Coniston afterwards.
 danw1310 20 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

jacks rake is a grade one, could give the slight thrills needed?
In reply to Adrian Bates:

Fleetwith Pike is perfect IMO. A good mix of safety and excitement. It's actually where I first got into hillwalking.
In reply to danw1310:
> jacks rake is a grade one, could give the slight thrills needed?
Jack's Rake is a death-trap, just checkout the accidents in recent years. Big fall potential right down Cruel Sister and elsewhere.
 danw1310 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Dave Cumberland:

was a nice trip with the family this weekend so just putting a suggestion in
 nutme 21 Oct 2015
If someone is not fine with heights I would not take that person scrambling at all. It sounds like asking for trouble.

Maybe consider alternatives such as kayaking or cross country cycling?
 mike123 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:
Not sure if it's just walks / scrambles or ideas ? If ideas then mountain biking at whinlatter ,hire bikes at cycleswise on site or in Keswick (cheaper) , will have all but the most sedentary grinning from ear to ear .
 bobpilgrem 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:
Consider walking up Walna Scar bridle way from car park at top of road (boring!)and branch up towards Dow Crag.Head across boulders at base of Goats Water and then up Scree path to base of Dow-now take the easy -not exposed-South Rake -on lhs of A buttress.Finish on top of Dow, and if time allows finish by
Walking broad ridge to Old Man and then back to car park. Close up view of Dow never fails to impress me, have fun.
 Lankyman 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

Get a map for the sculptures in Grizedale Forest (online versions available, free) and let them go and look for them. Some are obvious, others well hidden. Lots of interesting things and the view off some of the high points are good, even a few scrambly bits to mess about on. If you don't mind the cost there is also the Go Ape course right by the visitor centre.
 LittleRob 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

You haven't said where you'll be staying (unless I missed that) which makes giving concrete advice difficult, and I would try to avoid long drives as they won't improve the mood either, but if my kids are anything to go by, the more challenging the better. If we walk through meadows of sheep they are bored "Why do we have to do this?" but get them on Striding Edge, or Jakes Rake and they love it.

Notable things we have done over the last few years include:

a) Helm Crag above Grasemere is a lovely short walk, and there is a bit of (optional) climbing to get onto the Howitzer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helm_Crag This has the advantage of being near to the shops for afterwards!

b) My kids liked Striding edge, but its quite a long round trip from Glenridding.

c) They also *loved* Jakes Rake, but by the time we did this they had done lots of scrambling, and several Via Ferrata. I'm not sure I'd have taken them earlier (they were 12 and 15 at the time).

d) +1 for Whinlatter forest I've ridden this with my son whilst some of the other kids (my daughter and her cousins) went to the TreeTops course.

e) Grizedale North Face MTB trail was good with my son (and on another occasion with my wife) but wild horses wouldn't make my daughter ride it.

LR
 Ridge 21 Oct 2015
In reply to danw1310:

> jacks rake is a grade one, could give the slight thrills needed?

You must be taking the piss. If Sharp Edge is too worrying then Jakes Rake is a big no.
J1234 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

I would consider Place Fell and over to Howtown it is a proper little mountain and I cannot recall walking there and not seeing deer, at Howtown you can get a bite to eat at the Hotel which is a bit 1950`s and then walk back, but you could spring for the ferry and comeback up the lake in style.
Anyway you cut it though, a walk up a mountain is pretty boring if you do not want to do it.
 GrahamD 21 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

Just round Langdale Pikes from Stickle barn gets some pretty stunning mountain scenery without too much comitment
mick taylor 22 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

+1 for Helm Crag. Also, you can get a good mountain 'feel' from parking at places like Honister Pass, 3 Shire Stone and Kirkstone Pass and heading up nearby hills (Great Gable, Crinkle Crags, Red Screes/Stoney Cove respectively) - cuts the ascent by half (but can feel a bit 'cheaty' for the purist).
 Jim Walton 23 Oct 2015
In reply to Adrian Bates:

The walk up Castle Crag from Grange is quite enjoyable, walk through the wood, up a valley with stream, climb up to the summit then descent over the back and try to find millican dalton's big cave. Good day out with lots of variety and a proper summit with a great view.

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