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Right, it's looking like I can bag a monday-friday in May, in the lake district. Question is, what do I do?! Won't have a car, and won't be able to take a bike up there. Initial thoughts are to hike & camp & b&b my way around, but wondering whether I will get bored! I've got the gear, but have only done solo's for 1 or 2 nights before.Any bright ideas, must do's, or must see's? I'll be getting dropped off and picked up anywhere within reason. Was thinking of starting at Pooley bridge and working my way round to Helvylln, and then on to Bassenthwaite by the end of the week.
Why not use the Youth Hostels? It would mean you can do a big looped tour of the Lakes without having to carry quite so much stuff and keeps the cost down. You could also even try and stay in some of the basic hostels like the Black Sail hut as part of the trip (these are the ones you can only get to on foot and which aren't staffed - they are pretty wild places to stay).
When are you going?
yes Youth Hostels are a good idea, never used one before but would be happy to try. Black Sail hut is a good shout.
Jekkyl- It'll be the 23-28th May.
We've done lots of back packing between B&Bs / Hotels in the Lakes (too soft to camp any more, plus you travel much lighter sans tent, sleeping back and stove etc).
Really enjoy it.
There are some great hotels worth visiting (although not the cheapest option) e.g. Hawewater hotel (tame red squirrels on your window sill every morning), Wasdale Head Inn, Old Dungeon Ghyll Inn, etc.
Great thread for daydreaming while I’m at work. I would also consider youth hostels as main type of accomodation. Travelling alone they are always better because you meet folks and get chatting and that makes the whole experience better, they also serve vfm meals and drinks. May can be changeable weather, hell even August is changeable weather in the lakes so I would probably work out two loops, best possible and worst possible. The best possible take in some actual mountains. Helvellyn is good shout as it is very accessible and also has lots of routes up and down. Pooley bridge, up alongside the lake on the ‘ullswater single track’ path via cockpit and down to stay at the YHA at the base of Helvellyn would make an easy first day. Then straight up and over the mountain starting the 2nd day, then perhaps try and make it over to Watendlath to either stay at the borrowdale YHA or the indepdendent hostel Barrow House. This would put you well placed to get over to Black Sail the next day. I’ve heard it gets booked up well in advance but you might get lucky travelling alone. Get on it now! From there back to Keswick for your last day, there are buses that run over to Buttermere to and from Keswick if you can’t be bothered with the hike all the way back.
There is also a great little YHA at Buttermere as an alternative if you can’t get in at Black Sail. This is just a route straight off the top of my head so make of it what you will but does include lots of elevation. There is also buses and boats you could take advantage of if you wish to see some more of the lakes. For me I would always avoid Bowness and Ambleside, I much prefer the more remote less populated areas. There are also a number of bike hire places where you could get your 2 wheeled fix, incl Whinlatter of course, which would probably the easiest logistically. I have also had some success hitch hiking in the lakes, although this was some years ago and attitudes might be different now. Good luck and have fun, do please come back and do a thread about your trip, with pics! of course. 🙂
If you don't want to move around so much Keswick is a good bet. Lots of walking straight from your door. A range of pubs and places to eat and stay. Good bus connections to other places including a regular service along borrowdale for even more walks. Also the lake means you can do some kayaking and there's bike hire in the town.
If you're starting at Pooley Bridge then The BrothersWater Inn could be a good place to stop on day 1. Sykeside campsite is behind it and they have B&B there too.
Day 2 go over Helvellyn and drop down to Thirlmere village - little campsite there
Day 3 - head to Keswick - lots of camping and bunkbarn/YHA options
Day 4 - lots of options but a bus from town to the start of an overnight wild camp might be nice ?
"Right, it’s looking like I can bag a monday-friday in May,"
"It’ll be the 23-28th May"
Well, that's a Wednesday to Monday! And it is the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend so good luck with hostels without pre-booking these days!
There is so much to do in the Lake District that all I can suggest is buy some 1:25,000 scale OS maps, study them and enjoy.
Argh, must have been half asleep when I looked at my calendar! It's actually the 14th to 18/19th May. Thanks for all the replies so far, plenty of good pointers.
You need to hook up with postierich on here
Do you want to be in central Lakes?
West Lakes means you can use trains and buses to get around from Workington, Whitehaven, Maryport, Silloth up to Carlisle. Then down to Penrith over to Keswick or Settle and the East Lakes/North Yorkshire.
So things worked out differently, as they normally do! Rejiggled my plans and have had the car with me. Drove up on Monday and did Helvellyn, wild camped on nethermost pike. Tuesday came back down to Glenridding, and walked around the lake a bit. Stayed in YHA at Patterdale as rain was forecast ( that makes me sound like a real softy :D). Drove to ambleside wednesday, hired gravel bike and did a 40 mile loop to coniston. Camped at Wray National trust campsite. Thursday drove in a roundabout way to Bassenthwaite, and walked up to skiddaw, and am currently in my tent on top of old man skiddaw!
Sounds like an excellent use of time!
Top man, nice one. Lets have some pics please.
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Striding Edge
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View from Nethermost Pike
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Looking towards Glenridding
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Sunset on windermere
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Old Man Skiddaw
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Wow, idyllic.
absolutely belting. top notch mate.
thanks guys, yeah it was lovely!
ElShalimo, yes it's a Zephyros 2, probably done 25 nights in it now, with no problems.
I do take the end poles out to make it easier to pack & more compact.