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I have 2 nights planned in The Lake District in a couple of weeks with my wife. To say we are unprepared understates it so, as ever, I turn to STW for guidance.
We are staying just west of Lake Windermere, the address says Ambleside but it's not that close to the town, it's [url= https://goo.gl/maps/K7Q82sVXkft ]here[/url] in fact.
So, the question. Are there any walks or specific places to go that people would recommend? I'm looking for a couple of good, day walks, 15 or 20 miles I guess with a good pub or cafe in the middle, ideally within in short drive or even better, a walk straight from the town. Old Man of Coniston was what sprang to mind but my knowledge of the area is poor so I worry if I'm missing something more interesting.
Oh, and we're both pretty fit and happy walking, I'm very comfortable in the hills, my wife less so, hence thinking Scafell Pike is not the walk for us.
Thanks all.
Lucky you. There's loads to do from there - low to medium in hight and as long as you want. Some suggestions:
Go East to Low Wray and then then south through the woods of Claiffe Heights with views over windermere, back along the side of the water.
Go South, park in Hawkshead and then walk into Grizedale - lots of signed walking trails
Go North and there's lots of walks from skelwith bridge up through elterwater, over to little langdale, and back through stang end or hodge close....
Get a map - you're spoilt for choice!
You've got loads around there. Tarn Hows is lovely for a short walk, as is Claife Heights.
In terms of longer walks, I'd recommend getting up early, getting into Great Langdale and walking up Bowfell. Really good hill, great views, no scrambling required. You'll need to be up early to get parked in Langdale. Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel for a pint afterwards.
Buy the OS map for the area if you don't already have it.
15 to 20 miles is actually quite a long way in Lakes terms. If you included Crinkle Crags and Pike O'Blisco in the Bowfell walk it would be a biggish day out, although there's a short scrambling section on Crinkle.
Just do Bowfell, or Harrison Stickle. You'll enjoy it, and then you can go and sit in the bar at the Drunken Duck.
Great area - lots to do round there.
If you are doing low level stuff near Tarn Hows then there is a hidden little cafe at Betty Fold (check opening times).
http://www.bettyfold.co.uk/?Tea_Shop_%26amp%3B_Gallery_Opening_Hours
A pretty big day out; do the Fairfield Horseshoe. Doable from your doorstep. On your map, if you walk out your front door (assuming you're staying at the Drunken Duck) you can go down the hill on the road/lane to where it says "Pull Woods". There's a footpath from there all the way to AmBlessSiddee where the proper walk starts. You'll be looking at over 15 miles total walking distance, but worth it if the weather is good.
Bus to Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale.
Up The Band to Bowfell summit (or Climbers Traverse if feeling more adventurous), Angle Tarn, cross Stake Pass to Langdale Pikes, drop down to either Stickle Barn Tavern or ODG for a well earned pint and some food. Bus back. Sorted. A great day out without having to negotiate the can-be-tricky-to-navigate Crinkle Crags.
Awesome stuff, I knew I could rely on STW, thank you all.
15 to 20 miles is actually quite a long way in Lakes terms
That's what I was thinking, a pretty solid mountain day out could turn out to be half that distance IME.
We where at the Drunken Duck 2 weeks ago, stayed at @teamhurtmore's recommendation. Good food, beers brewed on premisis (only critism is red wines are stored in the kitchen which is far too hot, we complained and they put our wine back in the celler for next day and it was much better).
My wife isnt a big walker so we did Ambleside - Loughrigg Fell loop (still a 3.5hr walk). Starts from town centre car park, up to fell, quick diversion left for cake and view of Windermere, we cut straight down to or you can continue for Loughrigg terrace and more lovely lake views. Will post a link
I did Scafell pike a while ago via corridor, a Wainwright walk. 6hr of walking. Could do with the dog or you could do Seathwaite up to Tarns and then down via one of the grains.
We arrived into Lakes from South past Coniston Water, then tiny roads Colwith / Little Langdate / Great Langdale / Skelwith Bridge and then to Drunken Duck, it was a great drive
Photos to follow
Your on oremesis beversge comes with this view 🙂
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15 to 20 miles is actually quite a long way in Lakes terms
Hmm, this is also useful info. A "good" walk for me is 6 or so hour walking, 3mph, 18 ish miles, I'm guessing that's a touch ambitious in The Lakes then?
We arrived into Lakes from South past Coniston Water, then tiny roads Colwith / Little Langdate / Great Langdale / Skelwith Bridge and then to Drunken Duck, it was a great drive
Sounds like a bit or a round-about route. Best way is probably Newby Bridge to Hawkshead, then either up Hawkshead hill and turn right, or on to Outgate and turn left.
OP its not flat 😉
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Cake just under Black Mire - 50m left off path - Windermere below
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360 panorama from trig point at the top
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Another option would be the bus to Grasmere; go up and see the Lion and the Lamb, then on your way back stop in Grasmere for a pub. Then go over Red Bank and call in at the Brit in Elterwater for another pub stop, before walking back.
If the weather's shite and you don't fancy a high walk. Loop of the Langdales on the road is a nice stroll. Three or four pubs on route.
OP this is the walk we did (except cutting down from trig point direct to Loughrigg Tarn as Mrs B was sufferig a bit and then back many more on that website
[url= https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_141.html ]Link[/url]
The other walk we had was Catbell (great view over Derwent Water) from Keswick then down to Mary Mount hotel at foot of lake for a drink and take ferry back to Keswick. This we didn't do as Ambleside - Keswick road was still shut from storm Desmond but I think its open now. You should drive up The Struggle too ! These walks are probably too short for you.
Colwith Force, Cathedral caves and Tilberthwaite back up the permitted bway to Tarn Hows for a low level rained off walk, too. Have a look around monk consiton while you're there.
Loop of coniston with a trip to brantwood on the gondola too.
OP most of my walk plans the middle is a peak somewhere, cake and sandwiches on the top. Issue with pubs in the middle of a walk it implies you've dropped down into a town or village. Possible of course but imo defeats the purpose of a big day out in the hills
Lunge - great choice. As jambas said I recommended it to him a few weeks back. It's my mum's local and my morning run (not for a pint)
Plenty of round walks with pubs but not necessarily 20 milers
The obvious close round walk with pub in the middle is the various versions of the Tilberthwaite round. You can start from Low Oxen Fell and lop round Hodge Close, Cathedral Cave - pint in the Three Shires and then back to Low Oxen Fell. Can be done is various circles and figures of 8. If you want a long, easy walk you take the road to Tarn Hows from the DD, walk a mile or so down the road to Sunny Brow (I think) and take the footpath/BW on the left for about 1/2 mile. There is then a path up to Iron Keld and you can go up this (classic MTB trail) and join the walk above at Low Oxen Fell. You can then walk back over Black Fell (more direct via Colwith Force) or loop down to Elterwater and flat walk to Skelwith (including the Force) and then up the back road to The DD
Of the bigger walks close by - I love the relatively quiet route up Wetherlam from Tilberthwaire. You can make it into a nice horseshoe by descending the obvious tounge that faces you on the first half of the ascent. Its not the most distinct path down but pretty obvious.
The Conistion horseshow is good - Walna Scar, Buck Pike, Brown Pike, Swirl How, Connie Old Man
Bowfell and Crinkle Crags a classis as is the Fairfield Horsehoe
If the above done suit, you can have a great day out exploring the wonder that is Loughrigg Fell (my second run). Best fell in the Lakes 😉
I did the band and bow fell last year. Great walk but start early so you can enjoy a few beers after before supper. Try the rattle gill cafe in ambleside closed tuesdays.
Dont forget to go to Chesters Cafe at Skelwith Bridge. Lovely, lovely cakes. gets busy there though. attracts a certain 4x4 driving type as well - mainly because of the eye watering expensive homewares store attached to it.
12-14 miles is a BIG walk in the Lakes - have a look at Naismiths rule as a guide for how much you'll slow down going up hill.
+1 for the Fairfield Horseshoe.
First pint in the Duck
Walk as above - second pint in the Three Shires
Walk to Elterwater - third pint on the Wainwright
Walk to Skelwith - four pint at the Hotel (or strong coffee at Chesters)
Back to the Duck for fifth pint
Sorted!!
Since you're on the doorstep I would say a definite yes to the Old Man. Walk in and take a look at Dow Crag, a great spot.
Oh and the Drunken Duck obviously.
forget the 3rd pint at The Wainwright go to the Brit Inn instead 🙂
The Wainright? Seriously? What Rich said 🙂
And a +1 for mooch around Tilberthwaite / Hodge Close if weather is bad.
Of course, that was a crazy mistake, The Brit for sure.
Not sure how I got that so wrong 😳
The Brit is better than The Wainwright in every way.
Plus the landlord at The Wainwright is a right tosspot (or someone working there a few years ago treated a group of us with utter disdain as we tried to order food & beers x10 after a brutal walk).
Now this is what I'm talking about, a Lakeland pub crawl, superb idea, liking this a lot.
OP as a guide the Fairfiled Horsehoe is 10 miles and 5 hours minimum
Jambas love the photos of the beer and the classic DD view plus the shots from top of Loughrigg. I am normally running that so the reach the summit a bit puffed and without the delicious cake! But always stop to take in the view. My "spiritual home" where I feel most at peace. Love it.
Lunge, Zefferelis in A'side do amazing food which you could mistake for being veggie 😉 . Their nut Wellington is better than the beef version IMO.
Beer on tour photos I like !
Lunge I don't know if you like collecting maps but the set of 4 OS OL maps for the Lakes are availabke as a set (mail order direct?) I've found the one you need for your immediate area OL7 is often sold out at bookshops etc so pre-order to study it or they are generally available in the area. DD is dog friendly with bowls and many dogs about inside bar and outside (assume thats why you booked there). There really is a pet duck
I never asked - what were the rooms like? never seen them.... 😳
Jamba, no dogs, we actually booked the place by complete chance on a bit of a whim. My wife said someone had said to her there was a great B&B called "The Duck", I googled "The Duck lake district" and this came up, we liked it so we booked it. As it turns out, the place that was being referred to was The Fish Inn at Buttermere...
However, dogs are good, no issue there, we'd have one if it weren't for the hours we work.
Do you fish? The DD has its own pools in the nearby fields
Do you fish?
Nope, seriously, this is the worst planned trip I've done in a while. The only reason we're going to the Lake District is that, when we booked it, my wife's depression was not putting her in a good place and the place she felt most comfortable was outside somewhere remote, be that when skiing or just walking in the hill. Someone said "go the The Lakes, The Fish is really nice" and we ended up at The Drunken Duck.
As I said, all good though, I quite like how badly planned it is, I usually organise with military precision and so this will be an interesting contrast to this.
Its a lovely peaceful spot - even the little walks behind (off sunny brow) and your wife can relax on the benches and enjoy the view that Jambas posted.
I hope she feels better as a result. Best wishes.
Thanks THM. She's really improved of late and is in a much better place, so the "need" for this trip is diminished, But the idea of a trip to the Lakes involving walking, drinking and eating is not an unpleasant one.
DD is a perfect place to come back too. I loved the fact its not in the town or even a village. You need to book for dinner as its always full of residents and guests. No dogs you say ? You'd think I'd not read the original post before replying, imagine 🙂
Well, that was an awesome day out. Did the Fairfield Horseshoe but walked into Ambleside from The Drunken Duck then back from the end of the walk too. Nearly 20 miles, 7 and a bit hours and I think I broke my wife. The sun shone, the views were just plain stunning and the pint I'm currently enjoying is a treat too. Ill post some pics when I'm near a PC.
So thank you, particularly THM and Jamba for the idea. Now for a nap before dinner.
Blimey lunge thats a bloody food effort to do the horseshoe from the Duck, the last mile back up must have tested the legs. Glad you are enjoying it.
Bon appetit!
Back in the office on a PC so can post a few pics now.
Here are a couple looking over WIndermere from near to Fairfield.
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And one from the Drunken Duck, pint just out of shot
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