Author Topic: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!  (Read 5004 times)

dlinacre

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Hello!

I'm hoping for a little advice on a walk, and i'm holping you can help!

My wife is a big walker, but usually does her walks around the Peak District area. She recently (and only briefly) went into the Lake District and found it amazing. Because she couldn't stay, she never got to do any walks and what I was hoping to do was secretly plan her (and myself) a two day walk, booking b&b's at the start, middle and finish, and whisk her off for a romantic hike. Some people do a weekend in Paris, but I think she'd prefer the Lakes ;-)

However, unfortunately i'm not much of a walker, and i've never been to the Lake District so I don't know the area. I've done a little look around the internet but i'm struggling to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. There seems to be so much to choose from i'm pretty much at a loss!

Is there any two-day walks anyone can recommend for new Lake District visitors? I'm particularly interested in walks that can have bed and breakfasts along the route.

Time of the year is not really important, though for some reason I have February-March time in my head, is this a good time for the Lakes? Also, whilst my wife completed the Caledonian Challenge (50+ miles in 24 hours) earlier this year, i'm not quite as strong as that, and would prefer a medium challenge that we can both enjoy rather than a forced-march. I would also like a route that starts and ends near a train station, though we can drive if need be.

Does someone know anything they'd be willing to share? Even a rough idea of where to start would be handy. I've looked at several lake district websites, but they all seem to be less than twenty miles in total, that sounds fine for me, but over two days I think i'd need something a little meatier. I really don't want to plan something, book bed and breakfasts etc, and find i've either planned something too big or too small.

Thanks for reading.

kirbstones

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #1 on: 13:33:35, 08/11/08 »
Hi and welcome to the forum.

The Lakes can be great in February or it can be grey and wet as it is today.  I can suggest plenty of walks and I know a few B&B's if you can narrow down the area.

In the meantime (shamless plug)  :-[ you might want to look at http://www.windermere-way.co.uk it might fit the bill.  Get back to me if you need any more info.


Phil
www.lakeland-walks.co.uk - guided walking in the Lake District and beyond.
www.windermere-way.co.uk - a walk around England's largest lake.

mike knipe

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #2 on: 20:40:28, 08/11/08 »
You'd never get the whole way around this route - but if you're just a little bit clever, you could maybe work in a ride on a steamer, which would be a bit romantic..  It'd be like the Titanic. Only with less emphasis on the sinking.
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

See the blog!  www.northernpies.blogspot.com

dlinacre

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #3 on: 10:30:34, 10/11/08 »
Hi again!

Thanks for the route kirbstones, I was mulling it over yesterday and it definately seems a walk i'd like to do. It even has rail access!

But why would I not get around the route? Because it's too long, or too difficult? Or something else?

The route looks good, almost too short in places if I go for the whole four day plan, so i'm interested why it wouldn't be feasible. I'm glad you think so, because i'd like to get a good spectrum of views. Like I said, I don't want to plan something that isn't going to work.

I was already thinking about the steamer, but i'm not sure if she'd want to take it - she would want to complete it by foot if at all possible (she's quite proud). I had it in my mind as maybe a last resort thing or something.

Thanks for replying, by the way!

mike knipe

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #4 on: 10:39:31, 10/11/08 »
I suggested you wouldnt get around the whole route because you said you wanted a 2 day route - and this is 45 miles. 22.5 miles a day wouldnt be very romantic - in my opinion. 
3 days would be about average for LDP walking but wouldnt give a lot of time for romance
4 Days is more like it...
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

See the blog!  www.northernpies.blogspot.com

kirbstones

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #5 on: 10:51:34, 10/11/08 »
There's loads of 2 day routes in the Lakes, I just thought this might fit the bill for a number of reasons. There's no need to complete the whole route, it's just a walk after all and you can do as much or as little as you like.

It passed the station, so rail access is guaranteed. 

A trip on a steamer could add to the romance. And there's the added bonus that if you do use steamers/ferry etc, there's no need to change accommodation each night, just get the boat back.  If the sections are too short, just start and finish where you like.  Last time I did it, I split it over three days.

As a 3 day walk it's best to do the Western shore as one day and split the eastern side into two.

Get back to me if you need more info.
Phil
Phil
www.lakeland-walks.co.uk - guided walking in the Lake District and beyond.
www.windermere-way.co.uk - a walk around England's largest lake.

dlinacre

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #6 on: 11:02:08, 10/11/08 »
Ah, I see! Thanks for clarifying.

Yeah if I was going to do this one it wouldn't be in two days! I'm sure my wife could do it, but I certainly don't i'd have the fitness to keep going!

I definately like the idea of this route - and circumnavigating the largest natural lake in England certainly seems like something to brag about afterwards!

Does anyone know if the guide you can buy shows alternate places to stay along the route? I was contemplating making a different schedule. The first and third days seem too short and knocking a few miles from the second and fourth would help even it out a little...

If I go with this one, i'll buy the guide come-what-may - it will come in handy and also make a nice part of the gift. I'd just like to know if the guide has any planning options that'll help or if I need to start rummaging around the internet some more.

KIDSTYPIKE

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #7 on: 11:02:43, 10/11/08 »
I'm not going to suggest a route thats part & parcel of planning it yourself, but I would suggest getting thr train to Ravenglass on the west coast. After an overnight stay there an idea would be over Muncaster Fell and into Eskdale then over Burnmoor for a night at Wasdale Head. (Approx 14 -15miles and 2000- 2200 feet)
The following day up to Sty Head from Wasdale then past Sprinkling Tarn and Angle Tarn to descend into Great Langdale to either of the Dungeon Ghlls (Approx  8 -9 miles and 2600 feet)

The last day would be a leisurely walk to Ambleside taking in Elterwater & Skelwith Force. From Ambleside its either the bus or boat to Bowness and the railway station at Windermere.

Obviously you can add to this but at least you will have walked through the highest mountains in the Lakes.

Dave
http://www.wainwright-wanderings.co.uk/


dlinacre

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #8 on: 11:22:55, 10/11/08 »
There's loads of 2 day routes in the Lakes, I just thought this might fit the bill for a number of reasons. There's no need to complete the whole route, it's just a walk after all and you can do as much or as little as you like.

It passed the station, so rail access is guaranteed. 

A trip on a steamer could add to the romance. And there's the added bonus that if you do use steamers/ferry etc, there's no need to change accommodation each night, just get the boat back.  If the sections are too short, just start and finish where you like.  Last time I did it, I split it over three days.

As a 3 day walk it's best to do the Western shore as one day and split the eastern side into two.

Get back to me if you need more info.
Phil

It most certainly fits the bill, and i'm glad you suggested it. I haven't even looked for any others because this one seems to have a little bit of everything.

In the next couple of days I shall buy the guide and see what I can come up with. I prefer the idea of prebooking seperate accomodation along the route rather than returning to base each night as it seems more of a sense of progress. As long as there's a good selection of hostels and b&b's along the route then i'm all but sorted on this one :-)

Maybe on one of the shorter days a trip on the steamer -after- the walk would be nice. I'm concerned that after the shorter walks we'll have little to do but twiddle our thumbs in the hostel waiting to goto bed!

----

Another post!

I shall have a look into that Kidstypike! That also sounds very interesting as it also includes a little bit of Windermere as well as other things! I'm getting spoiled for choice, here.

Time to start digging through maps, I think. 


ramblingpete

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Re: Help for a (hopefully) romantic Lake District walk!
« Reply #9 on: 08:39:07, 14/11/08 »
Try Castle Crag - you don't need to walk a huge distance, but it's a lovely spot.

 

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