This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Hello,
I'm a first timer for the Lake District and hoping to get in a 2 1/2-3 day hike with 2 nights of wild camping. I'm looking for something that's not too difficult to reach by public transport from London. I did some reading online and came up with the following: bus from Penrith train station to Pooley Bridge, hike down the south side of Ullswater, cut across from Patterdale to Helvellyn, go down to Grasmere, then on to Ambleside, and either leave from there or head down to Windermere and leave from there.
Does this seem like an appropriate route for my time and travel constraints? Any better suggestions? I'm happy to hike quite a bit of distance but not sure if what I've described is too little, too much, or just right. Any thoughts?
I'm a first timer for the Lake District and hoping to get in a 2 1/2-3 day hike with 2 nights of wild camping. I'm looking for something that's not too difficult to reach by public transport from London. I did some reading online and came up with the following: bus from Penrith train station to Pooley Bridge, hike down the south side of Ullswater, cut across from Patterdale to Helvellyn, go down to Grasmere, then on to Ambleside, and either leave from there or head down to Windermere and leave from there.
Does this seem like an appropriate route for my time and travel constraints? Any better suggestions? I'm happy to hike quite a bit of distance but not sure if what I've described is too little, too much, or just right. Any thoughts?
2
In reply to calitouk:
If you're wild camping, I would try to take in England's most fantastic wild camping spot: Upper Eskdale. You could do a day over Helvellyn down to Grasmere, camp somewhere up Easdale perhaps, then a second day around the top of Langdale and down into Eskdale. From there, you could have a third day ending in Coniston and transport home.
That's just an idea off the top of my head, but it's really worth getting to Upper Eskdale if you're wild camping, it's as far into the mountains and away from habitation as you can get in this country. Surrounded by the highest peaks, big crags and waterfalls, it's absolutely magical.
If you're wild camping, I would try to take in England's most fantastic wild camping spot: Upper Eskdale. You could do a day over Helvellyn down to Grasmere, camp somewhere up Easdale perhaps, then a second day around the top of Langdale and down into Eskdale. From there, you could have a third day ending in Coniston and transport home.
That's just an idea off the top of my head, but it's really worth getting to Upper Eskdale if you're wild camping, it's as far into the mountains and away from habitation as you can get in this country. Surrounded by the highest peaks, big crags and waterfalls, it's absolutely magical.
2
In reply to calitouk:
Hi, don't underestimate how much harder carrying a full pack is if you aren't used to it. The walk on your suggested day one for instance is a full day with a big pack!
Maybe plan something a bit more compact and have opportunities to add bits? What about train to Penrith, bus to Pooley, launch to Howtown, then walk either the Beda Fell ridge to Boardale Hause (shorter) or Loadpot Hill, High Raise! Rest Dodd etc, but in both cases camp at Angle Tarn. There is a lovey wild campsite just on the back of the little causeway.
Day two down to Patterdale and Glenridding for supplies, then Helvellyn by one of the Edges. Head North along the main ridge picking up Whiteside, Raise etc. Look to camp just off one side of the ridge, depending on wind direction. If it's westerly there are viable sites in the valley above Greenside, ditto Deepdale. Don't try to use any of the Gills running west as descents! If you fancy a more comfortable night head to the campsite at the Kings Head Thirlspot!
Last day walk into Keswick, either by finishing the Dodds and Clough Head or lower and shorter over High and Low Riggs!
There are endless alternatives depending on how high, far, tough, easy etc you want to make it. Have fun!
Hi, don't underestimate how much harder carrying a full pack is if you aren't used to it. The walk on your suggested day one for instance is a full day with a big pack!
Maybe plan something a bit more compact and have opportunities to add bits? What about train to Penrith, bus to Pooley, launch to Howtown, then walk either the Beda Fell ridge to Boardale Hause (shorter) or Loadpot Hill, High Raise! Rest Dodd etc, but in both cases camp at Angle Tarn. There is a lovey wild campsite just on the back of the little causeway.
Day two down to Patterdale and Glenridding for supplies, then Helvellyn by one of the Edges. Head North along the main ridge picking up Whiteside, Raise etc. Look to camp just off one side of the ridge, depending on wind direction. If it's westerly there are viable sites in the valley above Greenside, ditto Deepdale. Don't try to use any of the Gills running west as descents! If you fancy a more comfortable night head to the campsite at the Kings Head Thirlspot!
Last day walk into Keswick, either by finishing the Dodds and Clough Head or lower and shorter over High and Low Riggs!
There are endless alternatives depending on how high, far, tough, easy etc you want to make it. Have fun!
In reply to calitouk:
Hi,
I once went by train to Ravenglass on the West coast; little steam train to Eskdale & camped next to Burnmoor tarn, descended into Wasdale next day and then stopped on the edge of Buttermere and then went over to Keswick after that. A great route! You could return to Penrith from there. I can certainly recommend Upper Eskdale- wild and beautiful. You can get access to it from Eskdale/ Boot.
MM
Hi,
I once went by train to Ravenglass on the West coast; little steam train to Eskdale & camped next to Burnmoor tarn, descended into Wasdale next day and then stopped on the edge of Buttermere and then went over to Keswick after that. A great route! You could return to Penrith from there. I can certainly recommend Upper Eskdale- wild and beautiful. You can get access to it from Eskdale/ Boot.
MM
1
In reply to calitouk:
.You could always stick to Poole bridge as a base.walk over the Dodds ridge to Helvellyn and carry on to camp at Grisedale tarn.From there over Fairfield and on to red screes.Descend to Kirkstone pass and over to thornthwaite Beacon.
Back to Pooley bridge via the high street fells.
There are various ways to shorten this walk,but still take in Helvellyn Fairfield and High street.Some of the best hills in the lakes.
.You could always stick to Poole bridge as a base.walk over the Dodds ridge to Helvellyn and carry on to camp at Grisedale tarn.From there over Fairfield and on to red screes.Descend to Kirkstone pass and over to thornthwaite Beacon.
Back to Pooley bridge via the high street fells.
There are various ways to shorten this walk,but still take in Helvellyn Fairfield and High street.Some of the best hills in the lakes.
1
In reply to calitouk:
You don't say when you plan this trip. The Lakes gets a lot of rain, May might be the best time.
You don't say when you plan this trip. The Lakes gets a lot of rain, May might be the best time.
In reply to calitouk:
Hi
One option is to take the train from penrith to windermere, then head back to penrith via ill bell, high street, kidsty pike, load pot hill and hawswater?
Did this route many years ago with the other half while testing out a new tent, very enjoyable
HTH Davey
Hi
One option is to take the train from penrith to windermere, then head back to penrith via ill bell, high street, kidsty pike, load pot hill and hawswater?
Did this route many years ago with the other half while testing out a new tent, very enjoyable
HTH Davey
In reply to calitouk:
Hi all, and thanks for the above. Lots to comb through here, and I'm sure I'll be back over the next day or two with questions as I look at these suggestions on a map.
Jon Stewart - I'm partial to the idea of camping at Upper Eskdale. Sounds beautiful.
Wainers44 - I'm decently experienced carrying the full pack, just brand new to the UK. That said, I've recently read up more on how unnecessary this might be - would you recommend finding lodging along the way for my first time? Coming from northern California, I'm so used to the idea of wild camping for a long trek that I didn't even think twice when I started planning.
I'm planning to go in two weeks, the first weekend in March. I have good gear for the cold, but please do let me know if there are concerns with this I may not be aware of. Lastly, I just learned I have another day to tack on to this trip - so 3 1/2 total to spend in the lakes now.
Thanks again to all and I look forward to digging deeper into these suggestions.
Hi all, and thanks for the above. Lots to comb through here, and I'm sure I'll be back over the next day or two with questions as I look at these suggestions on a map.
Jon Stewart - I'm partial to the idea of camping at Upper Eskdale. Sounds beautiful.
Wainers44 - I'm decently experienced carrying the full pack, just brand new to the UK. That said, I've recently read up more on how unnecessary this might be - would you recommend finding lodging along the way for my first time? Coming from northern California, I'm so used to the idea of wild camping for a long trek that I didn't even think twice when I started planning.
I'm planning to go in two weeks, the first weekend in March. I have good gear for the cold, but please do let me know if there are concerns with this I may not be aware of. Lastly, I just learned I have another day to tack on to this trip - so 3 1/2 total to spend in the lakes now.
Thanks again to all and I look forward to digging deeper into these suggestions.
In reply to calitouk:
A great compromise is using Camping Barns. Still need all your backpacking kit...except the tent. There are quite a few in the Lakes. Swirral Barn is good for Helvellyn, and Low Bridge End Farm is an excellent one in St John's in the Vale.
A great compromise is using Camping Barns. Still need all your backpacking kit...except the tent. There are quite a few in the Lakes. Swirral Barn is good for Helvellyn, and Low Bridge End Farm is an excellent one in St John's in the Vale.
1
In reply to calitouk:
It's a classic bit of UKC not-answering-the-question-that-was-asked, but with three-ish days from London by public transport it might be worth looking into getting a sleeper train up to the Scottish highlands. You can leave Euston in the evening, have a whisky in the lounge car, then get a good night's sleep and get off the train in the morning and walk straight out into fantastic, remote, mountainous country. You've got three days of walking, wildcamping or stopping in bothies, and then you're back on a sleeper on the last evening to get you to London in time for a shower and work. I've done routes from Blair Atholl to Aviemore and from Corrour to Dalwhinnie which have both been fantastic, and there's lots more you can do, particularly if you're happy wildcamping.
It's not cheap unless you book about a year in advance (although if you're going with a mate then a two together railcard saves you a lot), and the berths might all be booked up for your timeframe, but it might be worth looking into in the future...
Some good suggestions in this thread otherwise, though. You can't really go wrong in the Lakes, it's pretty much all great in one way or another. And it's relatively easy to bail from any given route or scale back your plans if you decide that you've bitten off more than you can chew.
It's a classic bit of UKC not-answering-the-question-that-was-asked, but with three-ish days from London by public transport it might be worth looking into getting a sleeper train up to the Scottish highlands. You can leave Euston in the evening, have a whisky in the lounge car, then get a good night's sleep and get off the train in the morning and walk straight out into fantastic, remote, mountainous country. You've got three days of walking, wildcamping or stopping in bothies, and then you're back on a sleeper on the last evening to get you to London in time for a shower and work. I've done routes from Blair Atholl to Aviemore and from Corrour to Dalwhinnie which have both been fantastic, and there's lots more you can do, particularly if you're happy wildcamping.
It's not cheap unless you book about a year in advance (although if you're going with a mate then a two together railcard saves you a lot), and the berths might all be booked up for your timeframe, but it might be worth looking into in the future...
Some good suggestions in this thread otherwise, though. You can't really go wrong in the Lakes, it's pretty much all great in one way or another. And it's relatively easy to bail from any given route or scale back your plans if you decide that you've bitten off more than you can chew.
Post edited at 00:31
3
In reply to calitouk:
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
In reply to calitouk:
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
In reply to calitouk:
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
Day 1. Penrith to howtown via lowther ( No bus) and the catch boat down to glenridding. Camp as commercial or wild as you choose, also has a shop for food.
You could then either have a day around there then head to ambleside(bus out ). Or head slightly more south east towards Kentmere and staveley (rail station), which is the more remote part of the lakes.
1
In reply to Jon Stewart:
Yes, superb on the north-east? (haven't got map in front of me) side of Great Moss. (High Gait Tarn?)
Another superb one is Three Tarns on Bowfell, above Langdale. And Sty Head Pass (also doable from Langdale).
... This assumes you take a bus to Dungeon Ghyll as your starting point.
> If you're wild camping, I would try to take in England's most fantastic wild camping spot: Upper Eskdale. You could do a day over Helvellyn down to Grasmere, camp somewhere up Easdale perhaps, then a second day around the top of Langdale and down into Eskdale. From there, you could have a third day ending in Coniston and transport home.That's just an idea off the top of my head, but it's really worth getting to Upper Eskdale if you're wild camping, it's as far into the mountains and away from habitation as you can get in this country. Surrounded by the highest peaks, big crags and waterfalls, it's absolutely magical.
Yes, superb on the north-east? (haven't got map in front of me) side of Great Moss. (High Gait Tarn?)
Another superb one is Three Tarns on Bowfell, above Langdale. And Sty Head Pass (also doable from Langdale).
... This assumes you take a bus to Dungeon Ghyll as your starting point.
Post edited at 12:44
In reply to calitouk:
>>just brand new to the UK.
>> I have good gear for the cold, but please do let me know if there are concerns with this I may not be aware of.
Be aware that UK weather can and frequently does turn unexpectedly nasty, which may make for an unwelcome surprise if you're used to a big landmass where the weather normally behaves itself. It could be warm and sunny enough to be t-shirt weather, or it could be too windy to stand up and raining so hard you're almost swimming ... or you could get both in the same day, followed by knee-deep snow, hail, avalanches and a plague of frogs. So, be prepared to be flexible about your objectives if the weather isn't co-operating, and remember that any weather forecast more than a couple of days old is probably wrong.
(The good news, however, is that it is easy to justify spending money on shiny new waterproofs. Because the one single thing that IS predictable about the weather here is that at some point in the year it will be wetter than a whale's arsehole. Probably.)
>>just brand new to the UK.
>> I have good gear for the cold, but please do let me know if there are concerns with this I may not be aware of.
Be aware that UK weather can and frequently does turn unexpectedly nasty, which may make for an unwelcome surprise if you're used to a big landmass where the weather normally behaves itself. It could be warm and sunny enough to be t-shirt weather, or it could be too windy to stand up and raining so hard you're almost swimming ... or you could get both in the same day, followed by knee-deep snow, hail, avalanches and a plague of frogs. So, be prepared to be flexible about your objectives if the weather isn't co-operating, and remember that any weather forecast more than a couple of days old is probably wrong.
(The good news, however, is that it is easy to justify spending money on shiny new waterproofs. Because the one single thing that IS predictable about the weather here is that at some point in the year it will be wetter than a whale's arsehole. Probably.)
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
The amphitheater of Little Narrowcove would be a tremendous spot to spend the night (in summer anayway), quickly reached by dropping down from Scafell Pike (or up from Great Moss). Guaranteed solitude.
I'm moving up to the Lakes in a few weeks and will make a concerted effort to get back into hill walking. Since I started climbing I've hardly spent any proper days out on the tops, but when I do I find in incredibly rewarding.
> Yes, superb on the north-east? (haven't got map in front of me) side of Great Moss.
The amphitheater of Little Narrowcove would be a tremendous spot to spend the night (in summer anayway), quickly reached by dropping down from Scafell Pike (or up from Great Moss). Guaranteed solitude.
I'm moving up to the Lakes in a few weeks and will make a concerted effort to get back into hill walking. Since I started climbing I've hardly spent any proper days out on the tops, but when I do I find in incredibly rewarding.
2
In reply to calitouk:
We just cheated in planning a trip to the lakes, following the Trail/YHA 4 day hostel to hostel route. No brain work required
We just cheated in planning a trip to the lakes, following the Trail/YHA 4 day hostel to hostel route. No brain work required
1
In reply to calitouk:
http://www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk/
These are great. You might well meet some great people. If its wet you'll have some where nice to sit in the evening. If you go before the clocks change the evenings sat in a tent can be very long
http://www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk/
These are great. You might well meet some great people. If its wet you'll have some where nice to sit in the evening. If you go before the clocks change the evenings sat in a tent can be very long
1
In reply to Jon Stewart:
My mountain photography books meant that even while still climbing quite a lot I was spending many nights over a period of about 7 years in very wild/high bivvy spots in the Lakes and Scotland (but only one, I think, in Snowdonia), sometimes with one other person, but usually on my own. All very memorable.
> The amphitheater of Little Narrowcove would be a tremendous spot to spend the night (in summer anayway), quickly reached by dropping down from Scafell Pike (or up from Great Moss). Guaranteed solitude.I'm moving up to the Lakes in a few weeks and will make a concerted effort to get back into hill walking. Since I started climbing I've hardly spent any proper days out on the tops, but when I do I find in incredibly rewarding.
My mountain photography books meant that even while still climbing quite a lot I was spending many nights over a period of about 7 years in very wild/high bivvy spots in the Lakes and Scotland (but only one, I think, in Snowdonia), sometimes with one other person, but usually on my own. All very memorable.
In reply to Martin Thomas:
Thanks for the route advice, Martin! I'm thinking of aiming for Eskdale, but wondering how much time it will take to hike the Wasdale-Buttermere-Keswick route in terms of days? I'll only have a day or day and half to get to Keswick or Ambleside so that I can get a bus out to Penrith or Oxenholme for a train home. Think I can fit one of these in?
> descended into Wasdale next day and then stopped on the edge of Buttermere and then went over to Keswick after that.
Thanks for the route advice, Martin! I'm thinking of aiming for Eskdale, but wondering how much time it will take to hike the Wasdale-Buttermere-Keswick route in terms of days? I'll only have a day or day and half to get to Keswick or Ambleside so that I can get a bus out to Penrith or Oxenholme for a train home. Think I can fit one of these in?
In reply to calitouk:
Erm, probably? It depends on how fast you walk, obviously. It's not a ridiculous distance, and if your plan is to go over the tops then you'll probably find that you can fall back to a flatter and quicker valley route (ie along Borrowdale to Keswick) for the final day if you're falling behind schedule.
Btw, the plan that Martin was talking about avoids Upper Eskdale entirely. But you could probably do something similar with a slightly different start, eg walk into Upper Eskdale on day 1, then up to Esk Hause before going over or around the hills to Keswick via Honister over the next couple of days, maybe stopping in the bothy at Dubs or maybe camping somewhere the other side of Honister.
Erm, probably? It depends on how fast you walk, obviously. It's not a ridiculous distance, and if your plan is to go over the tops then you'll probably find that you can fall back to a flatter and quicker valley route (ie along Borrowdale to Keswick) for the final day if you're falling behind schedule.
Btw, the plan that Martin was talking about avoids Upper Eskdale entirely. But you could probably do something similar with a slightly different start, eg walk into Upper Eskdale on day 1, then up to Esk Hause before going over or around the hills to Keswick via Honister over the next couple of days, maybe stopping in the bothy at Dubs or maybe camping somewhere the other side of Honister.
In reply to calitouk:
Just a comment: my wife is from the states and has found the transition to UK terrain has taken some getting used to. While our "mountains" are nowhere near as large, off-trail walking on rough terrain is more common(*) and trails tend to go straight up on steps rather than switching back. Just something to bear in mind.
(*) though where there *are* trails in the lake district, they are generally very well built
> Coming from northern California, I'm so used to the idea of wild camping for a long trek that I didn't even think twice when I started planning.
Just a comment: my wife is from the states and has found the transition to UK terrain has taken some getting used to. While our "mountains" are nowhere near as large, off-trail walking on rough terrain is more common(*) and trails tend to go straight up on steps rather than switching back. Just something to bear in mind.
(*) though where there *are* trails in the lake district, they are generally very well built
1
In reply to calitouk:
London to Penrith TRAIN
Overnight in the Agricultural Hotel Penrith (great real Ale)
Penrith to Patterdale BUS
Day One --- Hike from Patterdale to Bordale Hause, then Angle Tarn, High Street, Mardale IllBell, Camp at Small Water
Day two --- Kentmere Pike down to Kentmere either bus from here out to Windermere or hike up an over to camp at Dubbs Resevoir then descend to Winderemere ---
good luck
London to Penrith TRAIN
Overnight in the Agricultural Hotel Penrith (great real Ale)
Penrith to Patterdale BUS
Day One --- Hike from Patterdale to Bordale Hause, then Angle Tarn, High Street, Mardale IllBell, Camp at Small Water
Day two --- Kentmere Pike down to Kentmere either bus from here out to Windermere or hike up an over to camp at Dubbs Resevoir then descend to Winderemere ---
good luck
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Elsewhere on the site
Loading Notifications...