Author Topic: Lakes in May - advice wanted  (Read 1680 times)

ameliabedelia

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Lakes in May - advice wanted
« on: 15:49:15, 18/03/18 »
Hi all,


I am traveling to the Lakes for 4 days in May to hike and bag some classic peaks and would love to get some input. I will be without a car and staying in hostels, so it seems like Ambleside is the logical choice for a base, but...touristy cities are not really an attraction to me, so staying in Langdale sounds more appealing. How common is hitchhiking if I were to, say, stay in Elterwater and try to hitch into Ambleside before the first bus runs at 10.15?


Regarding walks, I am planning a couple big days (6-9 hours) and then 1-2 shorter days. The big walks that keep popping up are Bowfell/Crinkle Crags, Helvellyn, Fairfield Horseshoe, and the Coniston Round. Anybody have anything to add? Favorites among those? Any recommendations in the 2-4 hour range, leaving from either Ambleside or Elterwater. What about hikes for wet weather or for when visibility is low?


Cheers,
Amelia

bricam2096

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #1 on: 16:02:22, 18/03/18 »
If You are staying in Hostels, then the Youth Hostel at Ambleside is not in the centre of the town so it's a lot quieter and it's a lovely Hostel right on the shores of Windermere, beside the pier. From there a Fairfield Horseshoe can be done from the Hostel.

Ambleside isn't a City and if you're in the Hostel you'd only be going into Ambleside to visit one of the food shops or perhaps an outdoor shop.

There are also bus stops on both sides of the road not far from the Hostel so you can catch busses without going into the middle of Ambleside as well. It would be far easier staying here than relying on hitching from elsewhere.
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Ridge

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #2 on: 16:13:29, 18/03/18 »
Hi and welcome to the forum.


Have you been to the Lakes before?
As Brian says there are no cities in the Lakes but if you are relying on public transport then towns will make your life much easier. I would suggest Ambleside, Keswick or Grasmere.

ameliabedelia

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #3 on: 16:18:20, 18/03/18 »
Thank you both for the quick response. I am coming from Germany and this is my first time in the Lakes...and I guess it shows ;-) Ambleside it is then!


I forgot to add in my initial message, if anyone else from the forum is going to be in the Lakes May 18-21 and is interested in meeting up for some walks, let me know.


Amelia

April

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #4 on: 18:02:16, 18/03/18 »
Hello Amelia and welcome to the forum. Your big walks are all great routes to do and can all be done using the bus service if you are staying in Ambleside. 2 shorter walks from Ambleside or Grasmere are Silver How, Loughrigg or Wansfell. The summer bus timetable starts next weekend if you didn't know, the new timetable can be found here

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/cumbria-and-north-lancashire/buses-to-the-lake-district?utm_source=homepage-promo-box-&utm_medium=website&utm_content=ukb-site&utm_campaign=ection2017april

I hope you get some nice weather for your trip  O0
Hate will never win

Skip

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #5 on: 19:36:36, 18/03/18 »
Welcome to Walking Forum, Amelia

May is a good month for visiting the Lake District.

There are several B&Bs in the Langdale valley and two hotels with similar names - Old Dungeon Gill and New Dungeon Gill. The nearest Youth Hostel Association (YHA) hostel is in Ambleside. The National Trust campsite in Great Langdale offers camping pods (like wooden sheds) but you have to bring your own bed and bedding.

Hitch-hiking is less  common in the UK than it used to be but in my experience walkers often stop to give lifts to fellow walkers. Be cautious of course if you are a single woman.

For a classic 'big' walk from Great Langdale you can hardly do better than a circuit of Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags. The author Alfred Wainwright describes the Crinkles as the finest ridge walk and 'too good to miss'. 

For a shorter day, walk up the Langdale Pikes - you could do one, two or all half-dozen summits depending on time.

If the weather is bad, walk round any of the lakes or tarns, or follow parts of the Cumbria Way which - largely - is in valleys.

Several people on this forum are regulars in Langdale so regarding a meet, ask again nearer the time.
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Mel

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #6 on: 20:06:42, 18/03/18 »
Some more shorter/lower level/bad weather/easier walks are:


Stock Ghyll Force
High Sweden Bridge
Rydal Cave
Jenkin Crag


All walkable from Ambleside, no transport needed.




gunwharfman

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #7 on: 10:07:43, 19/03/18 »
All good advice offered. I stayed in the Ambleside YHA, I found it to be very good, great location. You will be on the main road between Windermere to Keswick, buses are easy to use, if you get the chance catch one to Glenridding and hike up or down Striding Edge to the Helvellyn summit. I find the buses are fun to be on anyway and a good way to 'meet the locals'.

I have always hitchiked, I go way back to the 60s and find its an interesting and easy way to get around places that do not have biuses or if you are in the wrong place at the end of your walking day. I can honestly say that I have never had a problem, allways been picked up by interesting and kind people. OK, I accept that one day I may hitch with the wrong person but I take the view why base your decision making on the one time you may have a problem.

I am a male but years ago it was common for young women to hitch, the only place I come in contact with female hitchikers and female walking alone campers  these days is when I hike in France.

The last time I met a German lady hiker, she hiked alone and hitched when she needed too was in a village in the UK called Dufton. She was walking our Pennine Way (going North) and I was hiking it going South. We had a great time in the local pub, met the locals and we even got drunk together! She came from Munich and worked for the Greman Post Office.

henryb

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #8 on: 18:44:47, 19/03/18 »
Bowfell and the crinkles is my all time favourite walk. Helvellyn was recently voted the most popular walk in the UK. I've done the Fairfield Horseshoe and it took me 6.25 hours. I'd recommend finishing on Nab Scar because the best scenery is reserved for the descent and you're walking into it. Coniston round I did Coniston - Prison Band - Swirl How - Brim Fell - Old man. Demanding walk in but great views in the afternoon when high on the ridge. Low level walk could be Helm Crag to Steel fell, Greenburn Horseshoe. 516 bus service to ODG and walk back to Ambleside on the CW or around Lingmoor Fell with a possible finish on Loughrigg Fell - I've done both of these walks in cloudy days :)

staggerindragon

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #9 on: 06:06:23, 22/03/18 »
I was given some good advice about rainy day walks on this thread:
http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=30158.msg437711#msg437711
« Last Edit: 06:09:45, 22/03/18 by staggerindragon »

happyhiker

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #10 on: 18:33:15, 22/03/18 »
Hi all,


I am traveling to the Lakes for 4 days in May to hike and bag some classic peaks and would love to get some input. I will be without a car and staying in hostels, so it seems like Ambleside is the logical choice for a base, but...touristy cities are not really an attraction to me, so staying in Langdale sounds more appealing. How common is hitchhiking if I were to, say, stay in Elterwater and try to hitch into Ambleside before the first bus runs at 10.15?


Regarding walks, I am planning a couple big days (6-9 hours) and then 1-2 shorter days. The big walks that keep popping up are Bowfell/Crinkle Crags, Helvellyn, Fairfield Horseshoe, and the Coniston Round. Anybody have anything to add? Favorites among those? Any recommendations in the 2-4 hour range, leaving from either Ambleside or Elterwater. What about hikes for wet weather or for when visibility is low?


Cheers,
Amelia


If staying in Ambleside, the Fairfield Horseshoe is a great walk you can do directly from the town. There is a route on my site.

Skip

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Re: Lakes in May - advice wanted
« Reply #11 on: 10:46:59, 23/03/18 »

If staying in Ambleside, the Fairfield Horseshoe is a great walk you can do directly from the town

I second that - the Fairfield round is a true classic. Here are three descriptions of it:

http://www.trekkingbritain.com/fairfieldhorseshoefromambleside.html

https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_42.html

https://www.mudandroutes.com/fairfield-horseshoe-from-ambleside/


You can start and/or finish from The Golden Rule (IMO the best pub in Ambleside) on the northern edge of the town.

Note that if you are staying at Ambleside Youth Hostel, you have a mile walk through the town from the hostel to the start of the walk.
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