Author Topic: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?  (Read 3636 times)

bigalxyz

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Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« on: 22:43:27, 28/07/15 »
Hello forum,


This is my first posting on here and quite a difficult one to write. I'm an experienced hiker/fell walker, although it's been a few years since I've been to The Lake District.


Unfortunately I had a heart attack a couple of months ago (aged 45). I've recovered my strength quite quickly though, and I'm able now to walk say 15 miles fairly comfortably. However I'm struggling with long, steep hills - improving slowly, but not back to full strength yet.


I'd like to spend a couple of days in The Lake District next week and I'm planning to do a bit of walking. Can anyone recommend any favourite scenic walking routes which don't involve too much climbing? Some climbing is ok - 100m or so in one ascent would be ok but not too much more than that - climbing Scafell Pike isn't on the agenda for the time being.


[I'm told by my doctors that I should exercise and that I can with confidence - I'm apparently very unlikely to have another heart attack or any serious problems other than fatigue. A walk such as I've described might be demanding but it wouldn't be dangerous]


Navigation, wearing the right gear, etc. all can be taken for granted (walked Pennine Way last year), just need to ease back on the intensity for a while but I still want to enjoy the scenery and the fresh air.


Will have a car with me so circular routes are easy to get to, can rely on public transport or even taxis or hitch-hiking if need be in order to get from point A to point B. All fine.


Grateful for any recommendations.
Thanks!
Alan.






Strider

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #1 on: 00:59:07, 29/07/15 »
Borrowdale area.  Lots of low level routes, avoid Castle Crag though ;)  and not far from civilization should anything go wrong.
Not all those who wander are lost

henryb

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #2 on: 07:00:46, 29/07/15 »
Tarn Hows, Cumbria way from Rosthwaite to Keswick, circuit of Derwentwater, Buttermere, around loughrigg fell, around lingmoor fell, Ambleside to Grasmere via Rydal

bigalxyz

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #3 on: 20:49:19, 31/07/15 »
Thank you both, much appreciated. I shall dig out the old OS maps when I have a moment and have a closer look.
Kind regards,
Alan.

Sarah Pitht

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #4 on: 23:17:15, 31/07/15 »
Binsey, which is no distance. High Rigg - an undulating ridge with amazing views. April has done a recent TR for inspiration. You could consider parking at one of ten passes and then walking. From Wrynose you can walk up tom Red Tarn which is a lovely spot - you can admire the fells around. Or how about Whinlatter and up to the tips from there - don't know if those would be more ascent than you're comfortable with/allowed just yet.

From Borrowdale, I'd think about strolling along Langstrath - very gentle. A walk along Mickelden, too. Elterwater to Chesters and back. The disused railway from Keswick. Latrigg from Gale Road car park...

A lovely route is from Keswick. Take the launch to Ashness stop.. Walk up to Ashness bridge, then up and along; down past Lodore into,the valley. Traverse the end of the lake and walk to Manesty. The paths are all fairly clear on the OS map. Catch launch from there either back to Keswick or get off one stop earlier (I'll remember the name soon*) and walk into the village for afternoon tea at the hotel before returningn to keswick either by boat or possibly walking.
* PORTINSCALE

altirando

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #5 on: 23:46:57, 31/07/15 »
Yes,circuit of Derwentwater is enjoyable.  Although there is no short cut unless you are a good swimmer.  Much better more suitable walks with less steep ascent but still satisfying somewhere like the Clwyd hills on the Welsh borders.  Do understand your problem.  I had a blocked artery three years ago, stents, but quickly got back on the trails in local Delamere forest, found a pair of poles useful, the rehab was useless, tried a wrist h.r monitor for  a while, really just as a check and in the gym.  Really don't think about it now. If you are in my part of the country I would be a happy to join you one day for encouragement.  Routes with easy escapes are most suitable I suggest. What medical action did you have?

bigalxyz

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #6 on: 14:57:42, 01/08/15 »
Binsey, which is no distance. High Rigg - an undulating ridge with amazing views. April has done a recent TR for inspiration. You could consider parking at one of ten passes and then walking. From Wrynose you can walk up tom Red Tarn which is a lovely spot - you can admire the fells around. Or how about Whinlatter and up to the tips from there - don't know if those would be more ascent than you're comfortable with/allowed just yet.

From Borrowdale, I'd think about strolling along Langstrath - very gentle. A walk along Mickelden, too. Elterwater to Chesters and back. The disused railway from Keswick. Latrigg from Gale Road car park...

A lovely route is from Keswick. Take the launch to Ashness stop.. Walk up to Ashness bridge, then up and along; down past Lodore into,the valley. Traverse the end of the lake and walk to Manesty. The paths are all fairly clear on the OS map. Catch launch from there either back to Keswick or get off one stop earlier (I'll remember the name soon*) and walk into the village for afternoon tea at the hotel before returningn to keswick either by boat or possibly walking.
* PORTINSCALE


Thanks for all this - again, shall look on map shortly. Need to think about accommodation as well.

bigalxyz

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #7 on: 15:03:38, 01/08/15 »
Yes,circuit of Derwentwater is enjoyable.  Although there is no short cut unless you are a good swimmer.  Much better more suitable walks with less steep ascent but still satisfying somewhere like the Clwyd hills on the Welsh borders.  Do understand your problem.  I had a blocked artery three years ago, stents, but quickly got back on the trails in local Delamere forest, found a pair of poles useful, the rehab was useless, tried a wrist h.r monitor for  a while, really just as a check and in the gym.  Really don't think about it now. If you are in my part of the country I would be a happy to join you one day for encouragement.  Routes with easy escapes are most suitable I suggest. What medical action did you have?


Thanks. Don't know the Welsh borders as well but it might be possible. Bit less crowded than the lakes? I'm in Northumberland at the moment, heading back down to London where I live in the next week, but more or less anywhere en route would be ok as a place to stop off for a few days.


Am doing cardiac rehab myself too. Bit trivial. "Alan, do you think you can walk up and down on the spot for two minutes?" "Well yesterday I walked for six hours, so I think I'll be alright!"


Single blocked artery - heart attack resulted at end of May - single stent fitted in a hurry, procedure went well, blood flow now good in the previously blocked artery and all the others too, doctors say another heart attack v unlikely. Some heart failure afterwards though - heart not pumping very strongly - gave me breathing trouble, fluid on the lungs, coughing, weakness, tiredness, etc.) - but I seem to be recovering quite strongly from that. Still relatively young at 45 which probably counts in my favour. I feel more or less back to normal now.

werringtonwalker

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #8 on: 17:46:06, 01/08/15 »
Good luck with the recovery.


A lovely walk from Glenridding is to catch the ferry to Howtown and walk back along the lakeside path via Patterdale.  Not overly strenuous as regards climbing and the views to effort ratio is particularly high. 
In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks - John Muir

altirando

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #9 on: 00:40:21, 02/08/15 »
Only one stent?  Not much to worry about then.  I think I have three or was it five? I was very tentative first walks out, but everything kept working.  (hope I am not tempting fate) The reason I suggested the Clwyds rather than the Lakes is, for instance, the main path up to the top of Moel Famau is just a moderate steady incline you can run up if fit, then followed by a series of small ups and downs, perfect training terrain.  The northern section is a series of rises over old hill forts, all short.  Always easy escape routes to the valley.  But all worth while walks = the gentler routes in the Lakes tend to be fiddling about in a valley.  Better scenery still around Llangollen on modest routes, over and under the Eglwyseg cliffs for instance, or the ridge walks above the Dee valley. En route from the northeast I suppose the Yorks Dales or Peaks are your best bet,gritstone edges or the Derwent reservoirs, bit of a jaunt across to the Welsh borders back of Chester.  Keep optimistic, it is not the end of your active life.

Oldtramp

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #10 on: 09:32:14, 02/08/15 »
Good luck with the recovery.


Within the Lakes I'd endorse what others have said: Borrowdale and Howtown to Patterdale, with the ferry back, are both classics. Stretches of the old Keswick to Penrith railway are walkable.


One other idea though---- have a look south of the Lakes around Kendal (good walking on Scout Scar), Silverdale to Arnside along the coast path (do this at low tide, so you can go onto the sands), Humphrey Head and lots else on the Grange-over-Sands peninsula.  A copy of Wainwright's Outlying Fells will give further lowish ideas.  You'll have the Lakes as a backdrop throughout, so long as it isn't raining!

Matto

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #11 on: 16:59:12, 04/08/15 »
This was a fairly steady walk from memory. Some nice scenery and a couple of waterfalls.
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes13.htm

waldershelf

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Re: Favourite *gentle* walks in the Lake District?
« Reply #12 on: 20:09:25, 04/08/15 »
The Newlands valley is a nice circular stroll. From Keswick across the fields to Portinscale, more fields towards Braithwate then alongside the river to meet the road over Swinside, which is the only climb on the walk and you can always call in the Swinside inn. Then down towards the foot of Catbells before heading back to the lake at Nichol end for a magnificent scone and a brew. From Nichol end back to Portinscale and Keswick.

 

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