Walking in the Lake District is available to all. From the easy and accessible tracks around Grizedale Visitor Centre to the challenging and exciting walks like over Striding Edge to the summit of Helvellyn. There is something for everyone. There are far too many walks to list them all but below are some of our favourites.
The trails around Grizedale with sculptures and hidden surprises are brilliant for the very young, and the less mobile. There are tracks that are accessible for wheelchairs and baby buggies starting from the Visitor Centre.
One of our favourite walks for the slightly more active and adventurous is the walk up Latterbarrow from Hawkshead. The veiws from the top are a great panorama of the Lakeland Fells and the Windermere and Esthwaite Valleys.
A couple of more challenging walks we really enjoy are Bow Fell from the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in the Langdale Valley. The veiws from the top on a clear day are some of the best in the Lakes. This is also a great starting place for many walks and also a good place for someting to eat and a pint of Wainrights to reward yourself after a days walking. We also love the walk up Helvellyn from Patterdale taking in Striding Edge on the way up and Swirral Edge on the way back down. This is not a walk to be attempted in bad weather unless you are a very accomplished walker.
We would recommend you take with you a copy of one of Wainrights pictorial guides to the Lakeland Fells. Not only do they discribe the routes and provide excellent illustrations of the scenery around you, they are also written in a uniquely interesting and humerous way. Wainright points out interesting features and things to look out for which would be missed if using other guides.
We would also advise the use of Ordnance Survey maps for walking. These are the most accurate and detailed maps available which will give you information which will not be included in the Wainright books.
If you need to purchase walking gear in the Lakes there are many great outlets namely in Ambleside and Keswick. There are also many online shops which offer great value, quality gear we’ve always found Blacks to be very good. Purchasing in advance would allow you to wear in items like walking boots before embarking on your walking in the Lakes making the experience all the more enjoyable. I have made the mistake in the past of wearing new boots on a long walk and had the resulting blisters to prove it!! We would always advise on wearing a good pair of boots, and carrying a waterproof jacket as a minimum to allow you to cover up in case the weather changes whilst you’re on the Fells.