Lake Windermere & Scarfell Pike

[stockhausen]

Further to my suggestion of yesterday, if you are REALLY serious about a decent (long) walk, you could always combine Blencathra AND Skiddaw!

• Park in Keswick, catch the X5 bus from Booths Supermarket to Scales.
• Do Blencathra - taking in Sharp Edge if you feel adventurous.
• Walk down to the Blencathra Centre, cut behind or go over Latrigg, head up the "tourist route" to Skiddaw, come down the scree slope to Carl Side, White Stones, Millbeck, Applethwaite and down to Keswick.
• Stop off at the Pheasant Inn for a drink (or two) and either have supper there or book ahead and eat at Morrels.

 

[Hagar]

October to March is premium. I don't do walking like I used to but IMO the autumn winter period is much quieter and more pleasant.

 

[beh]

A sunny bank holiday in August will be awfully busy. As others have said, perhaps try for a different hill. Are you only keen to do Scafell Pike because it's the highest?

Stockhausen's suggestion is good, many good linear walks to be had using public transport. Or slightly nearer to Kendal (and if you'd prefer not to get a bus) you could do High Street from Haweswater.

 

[stockhausen]

High street from Haweswater is a good call, great walk, particularly the craggy route up from The Rigg.
Unfortunately, driving along Haweswater and findng space in the limited parking at Mardale head is likely to be pretty much impossible this weekend

 

[Yucca]

Getting to wasdale from Kendal is a trek, the seathwaite route would be better imo but get there crack of dawn for parking

Bowness and Keswick will be packed this time of year , if you want to avoid parking issues there’s a train to Windermere

Places worth a drive to, any of the passes, honister, newlands, wry nose and hardknott- not sure how a Porsche will handle it though heh

Google shows 2 hours from Kendal to Wasdale. Which doesn’t sound like fun.

Happy to go to Seathwaite as you have recommended it. It’s an hour away according to google, rather than 2. But once we get there am I right in saying the actual walk up and down Scarfell is much longer?

Our hotel doesn’t start serving breakfast till 7.30am so if we’re fast we can get to Seathwaite by 9am.

Not sure I want to be walking for hours on end with no breakfast.

Where do I park when I get to Seathwaite? Also, would I be right in saying I can’t get lost as there will be loads of people to follow up/down?

 

[Yucca]

Really want to do Scarfell - already did Snowdon several times. Don’t mind it busy on the mountain - I won’t get lost if I have people to follow.

Much more concerned about actually navigating to the car park from Kendal and getting parking!

Is there a postcode I can use in my car sat nav for Seathwaith car park!? Websites give grid references... no use to me!

 

[Yucca]

Took me 3 hours to get to Kendal today from midlands. Checked in, dropped stuff off and have driven down to Bowness.

It’s rammed but luckily secured parking and am now walking around. Sat for an hour in the beer garden at Laura Ashley hotel overlooking the lake. Amazing view and not bad for a fiver!!

Thinking of booking the evening river cruise now which is £35 for 2 hours including dinner and entertainment.

With the wife so think that may be a nice relaxing way to enjoy the lake before tomorrow’s trek.

Clearly this side of the lake is not ideal for walking and nature as it’s just a super busy town.

Have planned to make my way to the other side and do a 4-5 mile walk on the West Bank on Monday.

 

[stockhausen]

. . . Is there a postcode I can use in my car sat nav for Seathwaith car park!? Websites give grid references... no use to me!

Try CA12 5XJ (NY 23651 12428) although I'm not sure that that will get you to a car park, you are likely to have to park on the roadside.

Incidentally, you can use streetmap.co.uk to find somewhere based on an OS Grid Reference.

 

[JBuk]

Google shows 2 hours from Kendal to Wasdale. Which doesn’t sound like fun.

Happy to go to Seathwaite as you have recommended it. It’s an hour away according to google, rather than 2. But once we get there am I right in saying the actual walk up and down Scarfell is much longer?

Our hotel doesn’t start serving breakfast till 7.30am so if we’re fast we can get to Seathwaite by 9am.

Not sure I want to be walking for hours on end with no breakfast.

Where do I park when I get to Seathwaite? Also, would I be right in saying I can’t get lost as there will be loads of people to follow up/down?

There’s a little farm at seathwaite that leads directly to the scafell path and you can park in the field/ lonning for £2 afaik , been a while since I’ve been there though, I would skip the hotel breakfast and take something along instead of ask if the will make you up a lunchbox?

The road to wasdale is a nice enough drive but not when you have time against you heheh

this is where you need to head to


https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...2!3m1!1s0x487cc5cbd61e6eb1:0x387a78ed3af7d885


As you can see, all those cars along the roadside but may as well pay a few quid to the farmer

 

[Street]

you can park in the field/ lonning for £2 afaik

The NT decided to ban the farmer from doing this annoyingly. Another one of their bright ideas as they don't like having money taken from their other over priced car parks.

But once we get there am I right in saying the actual walk up and down Scarfell is much longer?

From memory, up via Styhead Tarn, Corridor route and down around the back of Great End is about 10miles.

 

[bayo000]

From memory, up via Styhead Tarn, Corridor route and down around the back of Great End is about 10miles.

We did that walk 3 weeks ago. Way up was alright though I really didn't enjoy the way down as shown on the map. Found it way too long, boring and constantly having to look where you step as it's so rocky. At least it was dry that day.

For me Scafell is probably the worst, least enjoyable walk I've ever done. Even worse then Snowdon in the fog when all we could see was 10-15 meters ahead and it was mostly sunny day with good views on Scafell.

 

[jpaul]

.. could go for a swim ... certainly a way to get away from the crowds ... friend did the great north swim ...
but fresh water swimming is something else if you've not tried it.

 

[~>Dg<~]

keswick is nice. roads are fun up and around the area. goes to check if wild strawberry is still open

 

[Yucca]

The NT decided to ban the farmer from doing this annoyingly. Another one of their bright ideas as they don't like having money taken from their other over priced car parks.




From memory, up via Styhead Tarn, Corridor route and down around the back of Great End is about 10miles.

Well that’s a silly idea for them to stop the farmers! We’re are you meant to park once the car park is full then!?

It seems half the walk from this route is just getting to and from the car to the starting point based on your map.

I guess that’s why it’s so long compared to going up from Wasdale which is much shorter based on the articles iv read.

As much as I don’t want the two hour drive in the morning I may just go to Wasdale to save on some of the mileage walking...

 

[Yucca]

I used to work and live in Nether Wasdale, if you drive down the lake (Wastwater), at the end, there is a car park at the foot of the track to climb the mountain. For somewhere to eat, you have a few choices, closest to the car park, there is the Wasdale Head, In Nether Wasdale, you have the Strands inn and the Screes inn, both owned by the same couple, they have a great atmosphere, they brew their own beers too, good beers they are as well! I couldn't tell you how the quality of the food is now though as i don't work there any more haha, i know the portion sizes were substantial though, which, after climbing Scafell is ideal. Alternatively, if you drive to Gosforth village (about 4 miles from Nether Wasdale), there's a nice little Italian restaurant there.
Hope this helps. Any more questions i can help to answer too.

How big is the car park there? Where do people park when it’s full?

I’m torn between going to Wasdale or Seathwaith. Don’t mind the longer drive or longer walk. I just don’t want serious parking issue where I have to drive around in circles for ages or park miles away from the start.

Anyone know both well enough to say which has got better/more parking?

 

[Street]

It seems half the walk from this route is just getting to and from the car to the starting point based on your map.

The parking is right at the end of the road, down near the farm, pretty much where I've put the start point. From where I've put it the circuit is around 10 miles.

Streetview

Well that’s a silly idea for them to stop the farmers! We’re are you meant to park once the car park is full then!?

Unfortunately the NT own the land, the farmer is just a tenant. They don't want the cash going into the pockets of others when it can line their own.

 

[stockhausen]

. . . Unfortunately the NT own the land, the farmer is just a tenant. They don't want the cash going into the pockets of others when it can line their own.

Actually I think you'll find that the National Trust do a lot to attract visitors to the Lake District and stop it becoming a rich man's shooting area or a wasteland.

Anyhoo @Yucca, have a great walk wherever you go, remember to tell us how it went

 

[JBuk]

How big is the car park there? Where do people park when it’s full?

I’m torn between going to Wasdale or Seathwaith. Don’t mind the longer drive or longer walk. I just don’t want serious parking issue where I have to drive around in circles for ages or park miles away from the start.

Anyone know both well enough to say which has got better/more parking?

Drive to Keswick ,park for day, get honister rambler bus with return to Seathwaite

Or just drive to seathwaite very early and increase chances of parking

 

[gort]

I've made it a rule to never go at weekends or on school holidays when planning trips like this.
Would rather take a couple of days annual leave and go during the week and also travel at stupid o'clock.
Fortunately I'm a morning person with a body clock is now set for being up at 5am!

 

[robj20]

Any walks I do in the lakes I start before sunrise, usually aim to park 30 mins before sunrise.
Never had any issues parking that way.