Each day we will take in a variety of classic mountain journeys alongside a few hidden gems. We can always rely on the Lakeland weather to make it a memorable trip, whether it be brilliant blue skies or driving rain and wind our guides will plan the days to give you wonderful memories, new experiences and hopefully some great photos!

We will be based in the beautiful Borrowdale valley (3*** hotel) a few miles from Keswick, close to Derwent Water and in the shadow of Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain. Returning each day to the luxury and comforts of the hotel ensures no matter how far you have walked it will still feel like you are on holiday!

At the booking stage you can select the level and intensity of your week as described below or if you are worried about the pace or your experience, feel free to select and book your own private guide.

Choose the level for you:

Relaxed: 4-5 hours walking per day
This holiday is for relatively fit walkers who want to enjoy good days out in the Lake District mountains and valleys. The routes chosen will be on good mountain paths but may still include some sections of rough terrain that could be relatively steep at times. Most days would include around 500-700m of ascent. Total over five days approx. 30-40 miles with 2500-3500m of ascent.

Adventurous: 6-8 hours walking per day
This holiday is for fit walkers. We walk at a steady pace and you can expect to be out for 6-8 hours a day. The routes will not always stick to good paths and the terrain may be rough and boggy, including boulder fields, scree and heather. Most days will involve a mountain ascent of over 3000ft/900m. Scafell Pike England’s highest mountain will be included at this level.
In five days you will have climbed the equivalent of Mont Blanc 4808m or Kilimanjaro 5895m, and walked 50-60 miles with 4000-6000m of ascent. Ideal for those aiming to climb a 5-6000m peak.

Dates & Prices

Itinerary

POSSIBLE MOUNTAIN ITINERARIES

Scafell Pike

Scafell Pike is England’s Highest Mountain, standing at an impressive 977m/3205 foot tall. It is a beckoning symbol that at some point in your life must be climbed, with all paths to the top crossing remote, rugged, and wild terrain. We begin this guided walk in the idyllic hamlet of Seathwaite. From there we follow the trail beyond Stockley Bridge rising towards Sty Head Tarn before taking in the impressive corridor route up to the summit of Scafell Pike. Our descent takes us along the broad ridge over Ill Crag and Broad Crag before dropping down back to Stockley Bridge and our end point back at Seathwaite.

Height: 977m / 3,205ft     Distance: 13.6km /8.45 miles  Time: 7 to 8 hours

Buttermere

Buttermere is a truly beautiful part of the Lake District with a remote feel to it. It is also home to Wainwright’s favourite mountain Haystacks. From our meeting point in the valley we walk to the North West end of Buttermere itself and then ascend through Burtness Wood to Scale Beck. We then make our way up to Red Pike, our first Wainwright, via Lingcomb Edge. From the summit of Red Pike we then head in a South Easterly direction along the ridge taking in High Stile, High Crag and Seat. From Seat we drop down to Scarth Gap where we descend back to the valley and make our way back to Buttermere along the side of the lake.

Height: 806m / 2,644ft     Distance: 13.8km / 8.6 Miles    Time: 7 hours

Coledale Horseshoe

The Coledale Horseshoe is a high level route with a stunning array of summits, passes and views. It is one of the best horseshoe walks in the northwest Lake District – if not the best.  Most of the hard work on this walk is spent on the first 3km. Once the hike up to Grisedale Pike from Braithwaite is complete, the rest is glorious. From the first Wainwright of the day a good path leads along Hobcarton Crag to Hopegill Head and the view of the coastline, on a clear day, is unrivalled. After walking along Coledale Hause, we reach the high point of the day, Eel Crag, at the head of the horseshoe. The crossing over Sail to Scar Crags is a real treat before we reach Causey Pike and the exciting descent back to Braithwaite.

Height: 839m / 2,752ft 17km     Distance: 10.5 Miles    Time: 5.5 Hours or longer if extra peaks added in.

Old Man of Coniston

Walking up the Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag is one of the best days out in the Southern Lake District. This is one of our shorter walks, that sets out from the impressive Walna Scar road, but don’t be tricked by its length, this is a hard route with a lot of stunning high level walking.  We begin by following the Walna Scar up to Brown Pike where the views quickly open up. The ridge then takes us to the impressive summit of Dow Crag, its huge wall, popular with climbers, drops spectacularly to the beautiful Goat’s Water below. We then cross Goat’s Hawse and summit the Old Man. The views of the Lake District coastline and surrounding vistas are breathtaking. We complete our walk past Low Water Beck and through the hugely impressive slate spoils and old mining ruins.

Height: 803m / 2,634ft     Distance: 9.48km / 5.9 Miles     Time: 5 Hour or longer if extra peaks added in

Kit

You will need a few key pieces of equipment (* these items can be hired):

• Hiking boots*
• Waterproof jacket*
• Waterproof over trousers*
• 30L rucksack*
• Headtorch*
• Trekking poles*
• Walking trousers
• Fleece/warm jacket
• Wicking top base layers (short & long sleeved)

A full kit list will be supplied on booking.

Photos

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