Walking Forum
Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Lake District => Topic started by: ala_fred on 18:50:39, 04/12/18
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Hi
I am staying in Grasmere between Christmas and New year and one of the walks I am thinking of doing is the Horseshoe , however with it getting dark around 4 pm it seems a bit tight on time I have Guide books giving me times of between 5 and 7 hours to me it look about 6 hours which means is we start at 9 am we will finish before it gets dark
Any recommendations or suggestions would be helpful
Ala
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If you go anti-clockwise, which I’d recommend anyway, there are various points at which you could bail out on the homeward stretch if time is tight.
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It took me 5hrs in good conditions. I parked at Pelter Bridge and went up by Nab Scar and did the clockwise route, leaving the return route to Ambleside at Low Sweden Bridge to drop to the path back to Rydal House.
First light is 0750 on the shortest day, sunset is 1548 on the shortest day and dark is at 1630. In theory you have time if visibility is good, if there is no snow and you move quick. Anticlockwise would be the best option and cutting up the side of Scandale Beck from Rydal to gain the upward route will save time. This way you also have a drop off option and the navigation towards the end is easier.
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Well if there snow we will not proceed with the walk as last year on boxing day my glass`s froze on Skiddaw ,if i am going anti close wise is there a path up from Rydal to low peak if we park Pelter Bridge
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If you think that you might be short of time, why not use headtorches and set off whilst it is still dark, say 0700? It will be light enough to see by the time you get on to the hill. and it is great seeing the dawn break.
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Yes a start before it get light is one of the options , however getting my 20 year old student son out of bed at 6 am is
probably a long shot. I think if I start at 9 am We should finish as it gets dark
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Well if there snow we will not proceed with the walk as last year on boxing day my glass`s froze on Skiddaw ,if i am going anti close wise is there a path up from Rydal to low peak if we park Pelter Bridge
Yes - as described in my post. Up the west bank of Scandale Beck to Low Sweden Bridge. There is a PROW from the A591 or down from Rydal House, then cut across a field on a track to gain the route to Low Pike.