Hi, I'm planning to walk this, mainly high-level, route which is based on "Walking the Lakeland Round" by Tom Lawton and what I read in this blokes diary.
Here's the breakdown day-by-day with distance and ascent if anyone is interested in coming along.
1- Ambleside to Grasmere 12.8km 1000m
2- Grasmere to Coniston 20km 1250m
3- Coniston to Elterwater 19km 1350m
4- Elterwater to to Eskdale 23km 1900m
5- Eskdale to Black Sail Hut 21km 1700m
6- Black Sail to Buttermere 19km 1450m
7- Buttermere to Keswick 19km 1300m
8- Keswick to Borrowdale (Longthwaite) 18km 1200m
9- Borrowdale to Skiddaw House 24km 1600m
10- Skiddaw House to Helvellyn 25km 1450m
11- Helvellyn to Ambleside 28km 1700m
All the overnights are at youth hostels. At the mo', there are places everywhere except Black Sail (what a surprise! - Ennerdale is 'close') and Buttermere (B&B options).
Wot a blast from the past. I did some of the editing on Tom Calvert's book, while Tom Lawton turned up on my doorstep once with his publisher in tow and got me signed up for a couple of guidebooks. I've no idea what's happened to either of them over the years. The great thing about Lake District routes is that they're almost always valid, even years after they are described. It's only the facilities and services along the way that come and go.
It looks more up my street than the Cumbria Way which I just got back from yesterday. I found that (the parts I did from Ulverston to Keswick) pretty nasty with all those erosion-proofed paths.
Doing a version of this next week, 9 days though. Starting on Saturday at Grasmere. We intent to camp high but do it a light weight as possible by eating our dinner at pubs as far as possible. I guess the plan is at 5pm head down into a suitably placed valley and consume as much food as we want. Then straight back up the hills to get a few more hours in before pitching camp and sleeping. With a food frop half way we shouldn't need to carry too much food.
Will post again when completed (hopefully as I am carrying a few injuries). Our route is 125 miles or something close to that. The reduction is basically to get it into a five day working week plus two weekend. That way only 5 days holiday and more free holidays for the next jaunt. Just an early start to get the 555 bus up to Grasmere.
Paul, I'd like to have camped but I'm short on gear and can't get anyone to do the food drops so I'm using hostels. The only reason I can get away with 11 days straight is 'cause I'm self-employed!
I'd be interested to hear how you get on. Happy walking!
Got told the other night it was actually a 10 days trip. Cue frantic extension to my holiday. Luckily my work let me. We are doing it more like the LDWA list from Grasmere. We will be modifying it so we can stay high as much as possible. I suspect the stop in Elterwater is our one day where we have to stay high with no drop into a valley for dinner in a pub. The plan is to minimise weight by not cooking dinner by using pubs. The stretch to and from Elterwater now becomes a two day, higher level section and possibly less distance and height gain. I am not too sure though as my mate has done all the planning.
An early start tomorrow to get up by public transport. Wahaayyy! Starting to look forward to it. Not done any planning so I need to get my gear packed, buy all my food, split food into first carry and food drop and buy a new pair of boots for the trip. Also get a water purifier just in case. All that this afternoon, nothing like advanced planning!
I do it that way, I don't work to lists and always pack late on. I figure if I get the most important kit in I can live without the other bits and pieces.
Should be back at work a week on Tuesday, so I'll hopefully let you know how it went and any recommendations.
I'm doing the whole lot in one got but you're welcome to join me on those stages. Most of the days I'll be setting off by 9.30am and arriving at the next hostel by 6.30pm. Although stage 11 will probably take a bit longer! (17 miles, 1700m ascent).
Just completed it! Wow, what a trip! We did it in 10 days although it was a slightly modified version. One day we went from the 3rd crinkle over Bowfell, Esk Pike, Great End, Scafell Pike, Looking Stead and Pillar before fropping into Ennerdale for a wild camp. That's not realising Ennerdale is useless for wild camping and the way down from Pillar takes for ever. Ended up walking most of the length of Ennerdale before camping well after 11pm! Still a short day to Buttermere after that.
We worked it so we wild camped most of the time. We also tried to eat at pubs as much as possible, however thanks to 6pm starts to their dinner servings we often ended up cooking for ourselves. After the pub we would walk about an hour or even longer to a suitable wild camp higher up. It meant we were quite high each time for the next day's hills.
3-4 hours of rain and a day of cloud and mist, the rest glorious sunshine!
You will enjoy it! I mean if you don't then why do you walk, the Lakes is one of the most beautiful regions in UK. (Being diplomatic there as everyone knows it is THE most beautiful regions in the uk, just didn't want to say so as I'll get comments from the Scots - deluded ones thinking the highlands can compare.)
Sounds great Paul! You had the good weather for sure but I reckon it's enjoyable whatever the weather (bar thunder storms). I hope I get the same..
Roll on August 10th is all I can say. I am literally itching to get going! I've got a Scottish (Cairngorms) trip stacked up after this and a couple of 2 day things in Wales so I'll see how they compare.
Leaving tommorrow. Very excited. Hopefully all of my new socks will help to prevent blisters. I'm also taking vaseline and a (rather bulky) bottle of talc to further prevent invasion by blisters!
If anyone still wants to meet up for any of the days then post here or better send me a text on 07813727124.
Finished! Good fun but very poor weather with most days spent in the cloud. Some route alterations esp. from Eskdale to Ennerdale, with the Black Sail pass taken instead of Pillar etc.
so I'm using hostels. The only reason I can get away with 11 days straight is 'cause I'm self-employed!
