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Next weekend sees 14 blokes heading for a weekend of adventure based in Ambleside!
Some are biking Fri but we are all walking Sat - hopefully together.
Varying levels of fitness and experience - my preferred option is weather dependant and would by Helvellyn by the edges from Patterdale/Glenridding. Dont mind travelling either though so recommendations please!
Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside, great walk .
I'm a big fan of Blencathra via Sharp Edge.
I've done Blencathra via Sharp Edge but that's just as weather dependant as Helvellyn - if it's windy it's a no-no. Did Fairfield last Dec but as part of a Helvellyn walk, not the horseshoe.
I think only 2 of us have done the edges so hopefully it will be sunny 8)
Three of my top choices already. Plus Bowfell and Crinkles with optional scramble in one of the ghylls.
One of my quiet fav's and not so tiring is Wetherlam from Tilberthwaite (choose RHS of ghyll on the way up. Cme down the hardly marked but very obvious ridge that you see for most of the ascent. Like the others three (some mild scrambling as you wish) but less challenging.
Thr ridges and horseshoes in the NW fells.
Kentmere Horseshoe?
Take bus to Thirlspot/St John in the vale then Helvellyn range plus one side of Fairfield Horsehoe back to Ambleside.
But really top choice would be Helvellyn or B'cathra both by the edges. The latter combine Sharp and Halls Fell.
Sorry xpost makes some of that redundant. But for a complete change try the Wetherlam option. Trying to find the ridge down adds a bit of exploring spice to the trip. Not too long for anyone and not too popular with red socks or those pesky bikers who seem to get everywhere these days!!!!
If I'm staying in Ambleside I'll usually head upto Langdale. There are plenty of routes of varying length and difficulty around the Langdale Pikes.
Depends how far you want to go really ?
As somebody has already suggested, get bus to Legburthwaite, Sticks Pass, Raise, Whiteside, Lower Man, Helvellyn, Dollywagon, Fairfield, Hart Crag, Scandale Fell, Low Pike, Ambleside, no messing with cars etc.......
My Lakes "knowledge" comes from @teamhurtmore !
OP have you done the Helvelyn walk, do you know everyone will be okay with it (fellow known to people on here fell and died there recently) I'm not great with "heights" so after havng a look at Striding Edge I went back down to the Tarn and waited for my mate who coincidently in poor weather went down the wrong side ! Be warned there is poor / zero mobile coverage.
Another suggestion but a longer drive would be Sacfell Pike via Steyning Tarn and Corridor down via Great End, Garins Gill, this I did, you tick the box of highest peak in England.
By the way there is a good little book you can buy on Amazon for a couple of quid called "the high peaks of England and Wales" has quite a few suggestions for Lakes as you'd imagine.
If you're up for a scramble, check out Pinnacle ridge on St Sunday Crag.
...but take a short rope if you do. Brilliant but exposed. I did it with an old friend over 10 years ago. He decided to muck about hand traversing on the arête only for it to come away completely. He hit a small ledge about 20ft below with blood spouting from his knee. Bloody lucky and scared me senseless.
Langdale pikes
Bowfell & Crinkle Crags
Or if yer fit both together.
jambalaya - yes I've done Striding a few times so I know it's probably one of the easiest Grade 1's there is - compared to Crib Goch, Sharp Edge and Jack's Rake (where I nearly shat myself in a few places!).
We did the bus from Grasmere to the Browncove Crags path up on Helvellyn, Fairfield etc and back to Grasmere last Dec so relatively recently.
Did Bowfell and Coniston Old Man in May, The Pikes the year before.
A lot of the guys haven't done a lot of Lakes walks so want them to do a high-ish and big-ish that they'll remember for good reasons. Daylight is now a factor so prob not much more than 6 hrs TBH.
Did the Coledale round a few weeks back - a good high level horseshoe with lots of options for extensions. Nearer to Keswick than Ambleside though.
Fairfield could be a bit tight this time of year - particualrly with a group start with a hangover.
Langdales for poor weather start from elterwater and walk along the tops (drop down dungeon ghyll and pub crawl back if it gets too wet) take in pavey arc, pike o'stickle etc-
Bowfell/crinkle crags for good weather
all busable too so no need for wobbly morning after drivers
Varying levels of fitness and experience
Based on that, the edges, especially Striding, may not be the best option - there was another fatality there a few weeks ago, the bloke was experienced and had done the Edges several time in both summer and winter conditions... Fairfield could be donerelatively easily, despite comments about timings being tight this time of year, bear in mind you can start from the door in Ambleside so there's no wasted commuting time to/from Patterdale/Glenridding. Plus, dependant on direction (clockwise being the usual way), you have a pub stop right at the end - clockwise = Golden Rule, anti-clockwise = Badger Bar followed by a short, pleasant and flat stroll back through Rydal Park.
+1 for Langdale Pikes. We take our students up there who are of very mixed fitness, so you should be fine.
Bad weather alternative - never mind driving/bussing to Langdale, start from the door and go over Loughrigg and Elterwater, pint in the Britannia then onwards up Langdale as you see fit...
Langdale pikes and or Bowfell & Crinkle Crags
Would be my choice from Ambleside with a mixed ability group