Author Topic: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk  (Read 3789 times)

Mel

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As the title says, are there any easy horseshoe walks of, say, 10 miles or less (ideally a lot less  ;D  ) with no terrifying knife edge ridges and minimal/no scrambling?


I'm off up to the Lakes for a long weekend in a couple of weeks and want to push my boundaries a bit before the cold, short days of winter sets in.


Thanks in advance  :)


Mel

henryb

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #1 on: 20:42:03, 29/09/18 »
Hi Mel, the obvious walk which meets your criteria is the Greenburn Horseshoe from Grasmere. Steel fell, Calf crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag are the fells on the route best walked in that order. It is walkable the entire way with no knife edge ridges. I did it in January. The fells are all beneath 600 metres and is a great walk when the higher fells are clagged in. Other Horseshoe walks would include Fairfield, Kentmere, Ennerdale, Buttermere, Newlands Valley, Greenup, Great Langdale, Mosedale and Scandale which wouldn't really meet the criteria. Another possibility would be Loughrigg fell, Silver How, Blea Rigg and Tarn Crag from Rydal or Ambleside. Cat Bells and Walla crag from Keswick could be added to the list - great views of Derwent water. Hope this helps, Henry

Mel

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #2 on: 14:18:24, 30/09/18 »
Thanks Henryb.  That's brilliant  O0   


I'll dig my maps out and have a good look at those suggestions tonight.  The Grasmere one sounds an ideal "starter horseshoe" and it's just down the road from where I'm staying.

ninthace

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #3 on: 17:51:56, 30/09/18 »
Thanks Henryb.  That's brilliant  O0   


I'll dig my maps out and have a good look at those suggestions tonight.  The Grasmere one sounds an ideal "starter horseshoe" and it's just down the road from where I'm staying.


And just think Mel.  If you get to the very top of Helm Crag you will have summitted the only Wainwright AW never got to the top off.
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bricam2096

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #4 on: 19:17:53, 30/09/18 »

And just think Mel.  If you get to the very top of Helm Crag you will have summitted the only Wainwright AW never got to the top off.

I get the feeling that once Mel gets to the summit she may also decline the last few meters  :D

I enjoy that ridge walk, have done it by following the C2C path out of Grasmere and then heading up Calf Crag and back along the ridge giving good views down to Grasmere. Watch out if it's been raining though as I seem to recall it being steep and grassy in places.

Not sure if this will help you Mel.

https://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes28.htm
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richardh1905

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #5 on: 08:57:44, 01/10/18 »

I recommend the Newlands Horseshoe, Mal. Start at the car park to the north of Catbells and head south over Catbells, Maiden Moor and High Spy.


If you are still keen after this, you can then climb Dale Head and Hindscarth, before returning to your starting point. This should be about 10 miles.


If you feel that you have had enough before tackling Dale Head, just drop down into the head of the Newlands Valley for a pleasant low level walk back to the car.


Either way, a great walk with fantastic views (weather permitting).


Let us know how you get on.
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Mel

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #6 on: 22:52:48, 01/10/18 »
And just think Mel.  If you get to the very top of Helm Crag you will have summitted the only Wainwright AW never got to the top off.


I get the feeling that once Mel gets to the summit she may also decline the last few meters  :D


I wondered what you were both on about at first and then I googled... easy peasy (massive lie   ;D  )  

 
Cheers for the Catbells, et al suggestion ricardh1905 - I have actually done Catbells twice but never dropped down to the Newlands valley side.  That valley may become my "easier day after the big day" walk actually.




staggerindragon

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #7 on: 23:52:12, 01/10/18 »
Another option after Dale Head or (backtracking from) Hindscarth is dropping back down south to get the bus back from the Honister YHA.  I'd guess parts of this route down would also be pretty slippy in the rain. Not so much a horseshoe as a candy cane, but it's an option.


Question for everyone--how boggy does the Greenburn Horseshoe route get?

richardh1905

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #8 on: 08:50:59, 02/10/18 »
Cheers for the Catbells, et al suggestion ricardh1905 - I have actually done Catbells twice but never dropped down to the Newlands valley side.  That valley may become my "easier day after the big day" walk actually.



I've done variants a number of times, Mel, the full horseshoe including Robinson is a good day's walk, maybe 11-12 miles, and on another occasion a friend and I dropped down to Honister Pass from Dale Head summit in a blizzard (steep and nasty), and ended up walking to Buttermere for a few (several) pints, staggering back over Newlands Pass after the snow had stopped.



The walk over Catbells, Maiden Moor and High Spy, and on to Dale Head Tarn, before dropping down into the head of the Newlands Valley, is a good walk in it's own right, and ideal if the weather turns or you just feel that you have had enough; the valley is delightful.


PS - in the Lakes myself with my family in a couple of weeks time; my 11 year old has his sights set on Scafell Pike!
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Ridge

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #9 on: 09:05:29, 02/10/18 »
Question for everyone--how boggy does the Greenburn Horseshoe route get?
The 2 ridges are generally OK but the section round the top of the valley can be very wet.


Another question for everyone. Is the largest of the small tarns at the head of the valley called Rabbit Tarn? I thought it was but I could be just hallucinating as it is not marked on the map and a search brings up nothing.

Mel

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #10 on: 20:48:57, 02/10/18 »
PS - in the Lakes myself with my family in a couple of weeks time; my 11 year old has his sights set on Scafell Pike!


Whereabouts will you be based?


staggerindragon - my only concern with Dale Head is that it's a loooooong way up from whatever direction and a loooooonnnng way down - I'd be more inclined to do it on it's own to bag the summit. (I'm not very hill fit  ;D  )


Can't help with Rabbit Tarn Ridge.  Might it have been an "invention" by forum members if someone had seen lots of rabbits there?  :-\




staggerindragon

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #11 on: 19:22:24, 03/10/18 »
Thanks for the feedback, Ridge!


I feel your pain, Mel.  I don't get much of an opportunity to train on proper hills, so I wasn't sure how that walk would go either.  A couple of weeks ago, I let the Honister Rambler do some of the climbing and took the bus to Honister YHA and then walked up to Dale Head. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. If you go this route, you could also just climb up as high as Dale Head Tarn--no need to summit. (I'm starting to feel like the little devil on your shoulder, so I'll just shush now.  >:D )


The only drawback of walking Dale Head, High Spy, Maiden Moor to Catbells is the descent from Catbells.


I'm really curious to see what you end up doing as I'd like to explore Newlands a bit too.

Mel

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #12 on: 20:22:04, 03/10/18 »
Aww no.  Now look what you've all gone and made me do!  I've been having a nosey at the Newlands valley ... and then the hills around it.  Aaaand spotted a potential "Newlands cloven hoof" walk from Little Town.  Up and over the lumps and bumps of Low Scope End and on to Hindscarth. Take an easterly turn and on to Dale Head (easiest gradient up that!).  Then what looks like a hideous descent off Dale Head and down into the Newlands valley to follow the beck for an exhausted crawl back to Little Town.  About 8 miles so within my comfort zone in terms of mileage (just not ascent/descent!).


So that's got serious potential if the weather's good.


.... but I still like the sound of the lumpy bumpy Greenburn circuit.  I like lumpy and bumpy fells  :)


I might have the time to do both (just not in the same day, LOL) 'cos I've got 4 days to play with.




Hillhiker1

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #13 on: 21:52:35, 03/10/18 »
If you like lumpy and bumpy, how about Silver How and Loughrigg from Grasmere. Drop down onto the terrace and head for Ambleside but once at  Pelter bridge, cross over and go up the side of Rydal hall and back to Grasmere on the Coffin Route?

April

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Re: Recommendations for an easy Lake District Horseshoe walk
« Reply #14 on: 22:16:58, 03/10/18 »
Aaaand spotted a potential "Newlands cloven hoof" walk from Little Town. 

 :) If you have never been up Hindscarth over Scope End you are in for a treat. It is one of my favourite walks. The Dale Head descent isn't that bad, it is pitched for most of it and most of the pitching has been done well..ish. You didn't need anyone's help, you have found your own walk  ;D

"Cloven Hoof" should now be a proper term for a type of walk  :)
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