lake district scambling for kids

I would caution against Jack's Rake, it seems to have become overly popular and busy, which makes for a less than stellar experience and increases the risk of rockfall from other parties above. Plus it is often seeping and slippery in places, and demands a lot of care.

Hall's Fell ridge is an excellent choice as an introduction, only one very short section of rock on it. Not descending via Sharp Edge is a reasonable decision if you think exposure is going to be a problem. There are plenty of other ways off.

Striding edge, on the other hand, is not as hard or exposed - you don't even have to go along the crest, there are easier ways a little way off to the side. 

Pinnacle Ridge is Grade 3, I believe you can avoid the main difficulties, but it is still steep ground and I would be taking a rope with an inexperienced nine-year-old.

You can find scrambly sections on a lot of 'normal' high quality hillwalking. If you're worried that exposure will freak him, might be better to let him find his legs and confidence on something less committing.

Alternatives - in Langdale you could do Crinkle Crags from the top of Wrynose Pass, an easy walk with the opportunity for a bit of mini-scrambling on the way, and always interesting.

thanks, come to think of it - hills like Catbells or Haystacks have got nice easy scrambling that I think he'd enjoy.

Yeah, Haystacks has a couple of short sections, and is an interesting half-day walk. The Newlands Round - Catbells, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth is a fabulous full day walk which isn't too strenuous.

At 9, Cat Bells and similar is perfect. My daughter is 9 and wouldn’t dream of pinnacle ridge by any route, albeit all children are different. Striding Edge would be decent as well if they’re ok with the overall ascent/descent. Going back via dollywagon is a bit more interesting too albeit a fairly long day!

Climbing out the back of Cathedral Cavern is also quite good!

Most of my perfect memories are May bank holiday weeks spent in the lakes with the kids scrambling and biking.

By a huge margin the best shambles were the gylls, frequently done with wetsuit and buoyancy aids.

The river Esk for example is an absolute world classic. Unbelievably constant at the grade, with endless falls, swims, climbs, DWs etc etc.

Church Beck also good.

Sourmilk etc.

I'd go with Halls fell ridge as a first one, but as said not descend Sharp edge

Sharp Edge is too exposed but instead you're considering Jacks Rake, I think that just goes to show the difference between perceptions. I'd do sharp edge again and again but it would take a chunk of money to convince me to do Jacks Rake again! Maybe it would be different now, it was only the second scramble we'd done and have since done some others but I found it very unpleasant.

Pinnacle ridge is great but I can't think of an easier route in from the usual slog up half the hill from the farm (easy but steep) then traverse in.

The main 'pitch' is definitely diff but easy to pitch and has a safe bay for the second to wait in. The bit that would be hard to protect is the downclimb near the end onto a tiny col. The 'escape' routes always look loose and exposed.

For easy single pitch climbing with kids Glaciated Slab in Borrowdale (start the walk in to Corvus and cross the valley just after the gate) is great. Sunny, shallow angle, loads of easy short routes.

As above Striding Edge (going up) is fairly steady and there are places for a second to wait if they want a rope from above. Swirral is easier but needs a bit of care at the top.

Hope you get some great weather.

I did The Bell scramble just outside Conniston with my 9yo daughter. Treated it as a "multipitch climb" so had the rope which she liked loved. 

I can't paste the link in from work device - check ukscrambles.com.

You can keep walking up the Old Man, or just to a tarn to lengthen the day.

I meant to reply to this thread as it brought back memories of an august day on Hallsfell in sudden horizontal rain with my wife and all three of my kids in tears at one point. Though they cheered up a bit at one point when we had to form part of a chain to pass a small dog down a tricky bit... 

Anyway I think the thing is to avoid a grim plod in favour of shorter scrambly stuff. Hallsfell is great as are langdale pikes. If you're a climber (can't quite tell from the OP) then what about Middlefell Buttress, Raven Crag, as a way on to Pike O'Stickle and just carry on up. 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/raven_crag_langdale-344/middlefell_buttress-6670

I see it's graded diff but I always thought it's a mod. It's v friendly and escapable either way and more of a clamber than a climb though you'd want a rope for a kids (as you would on pinnacle ridge) and scramble down the scree slope for a barely 3km round. 

If you don't climb you can do pretty much the same thing just taking the path up from the New Dungeon Ghyll and add scrambles when you get to the easy crags near the top. 

I have actually backed off Jack's Rake with my kids and done the easy gully on the Rh side instead. It was just a bit too seepy and slippy for comfort on the exposed bit out of the tunnel. I'm sure others would have pushed on, but I'd not have felt comfortable 

thanks, Im going to NT langdale campsite in June with him so was just going to go up Dungeon Ghyll as he'll want instant gratification rather than straightforward fell walking.  I understand the ghyll scrambing gets more gnarly the higher you go but we can always turn back or find an escape route.  If he gets up as far as pike of stickle then I'd consider that a major achievement!

I think we'll stay near keswick in August , so can have a cycle ride on the disused railway, as well as have a go at blencathra and possibly helvellyn gill

Easedale Gill and Belles Knot make a nice route together.

If staying in Langdale then Side Pike could be an option, I did it recently and the ascent from the path up toward Blea Tarn from the gate by the cattle grid is a series of little rocky scrambles that aren't too exposed and quite fun, it may give a taste and a measure of what they enjoy, there's also The Squeeze on the path down which is quite fun and feels pretty exposed but without an actual huge drop. Having done Jack's Rake once I found it pretty unpleasant and won't be going up there again, I'm a round the back of Pavey Ark kind of guy.

Following the stream upto stickle tarn you can opt in and out of scrambling to your hearts content. I have yet to find the Dungeon Ghyll. No harm starting with a bouldering style warm up in the many bits of rock behind the hotels

Wandering round the quarries at Hodge Close can be a fun walk not walk. Cathedral Cavern is good, then carry on out the back then after a 10 foot for scramble you can follow a tunnel through the mountain

Catbells is just such a great kids day out

 Middlefell Butress is an  easy rock climb. But I’ve never felt i wasn’t on a climb.