4 walks – Moderate, Moderate /Strenuous and Strenuous – 7, 9, 9.5 and 12 miles
Every year we go for a weekend to a different place in the Lake District, to explore the fells and valleys made
famous by writers such as Beatrix Potter, Alfred Wainwright and Wordsworth. This year’s weekend was based in Glenridding, a charming village on the banks of Ullswater. As always, it was enthusiastically supported. Members enjoyed the choice of accommodation options, which included camping, B&Bs, a youth hostel and a bunkhouse.
The walks explored the wonderful landscape of the North West of the Lake District as described below and one made use of the steamers on Ullswater to extend it.
The walk on the Friday was 9.5 miles long and went to Aira Force, Watermillock Common, and Glencoyne. It was a moderately challenging walk with 600m of ascent. This walk had a bit of everything that the Lake District has to offer! We started at Aira Force and made our way past the waterfalls to open access land and over to the more bleak landscape of Watermillock Common. Eventually we got marvellous views of Ullswater and carried on round into the Glencoyne valley ascending gradually to the valley head. This is a great example of a glacial valley and is blessed by having no sign of civilisation. Reaching the saddle we got views of Helvellyn before we headed
back underneath Sheffield Pike to the start.
There were two walks on the Saturday. The first was to St Sunday Crag and Fairfield. It was astrenuous 12 mile walk with 1,300m of ascent strenuous walk, and with some of the best views in the Lake District. The walk started from Glenridding campsite, and after a short ascent we headed past Lanty’s Tarn and then over Grisedale Beck to Thornhow End. There then followed the main ascent to and over St Sunday Crag to Fairfield. From Fairfield we headed to Hart Crag and Hartsop above How before returning to the campsite. The walk took us most of the day. There was also an easier walk on the Saturday. This was 9 miles l ong with 600m of ascent
and it went to Hartsop, Angle Tarn and Patterdale. We had a short bus ride to take us to the the small village of Hartsop where we began a long, steady ascen t up a valley towards Haweswater. After a short steep finish (the ascent is worth it !) we stayed on more level terrain getting brilliant views to left, towards Helvellyn, and right towards Martindale and High Street. Eventually we reached the idyllic spot of Angle Tarn where we had lunch before making our way onwards and downwards to Patterdale. From here we walked back over the fells behind Patterdale and past Lanty Tarn back to Glenridding.
Everyone went on a walk together on the Sunday. This was 7 miles long from Howtown to Glenridding, with magnificent views of Helvellyn. We got the steamer along Ullswater to thestart of the walk.