The Buttermere Round: an epic walk for sensible people

May 10, 2023 Trip reports alfred wainwright, britain, cumbria, dale head, high stile, hill walking, lake district, red pike, robinson 4 Comments

We live in an era of epic endurance challenges, where people believe there’s no point getting outdoors unless you do something bigger, longer or quicker than everyone else. But it’s possible to do a challenging walk while thoroughly enjoying yourself, and without running.

A Grasmoor and Grisedale Pike horseshoe via Grasmoor End

April 26, 2023 Trip reports alfred wainwright, britain, crag hill, cumbria, grasmoor, grisedale pike, hill walking, lake district 2 Comments

It’s been four years since my last visit to the Lake District. A return visit was long overdue and the Easter weekend offered a good opportunity. We set our sights on the Northwest Fells, an area of peaks that I’ve only explored in impenetrable hill fog.

The Helvellyn and Fairfield Horseshoe via Striding Edge

May 15, 2019 Trip reports britain, crib goch, cumbria, edita, fairfield, helvellyn, hill walking, lake district, st sunday crag, striding edge 2 Comments

After taking Edita up Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, last year, it was a no-brainer to introduce her to a UK hill-walking classic: Helvellyn via Striding Edge. It would be fun for me too, because I hadn’t done it for 23 years.

In praise of Cumbria’s northern fells

May 5, 2011 Trip reports britain, camping, carrock fell, cumbria, fairfield, great dodd, helvellyn, hill walking, lake district, langdale, navigation, pennines, scafell pike, skiddaw, st sunday crag, striding edge, stybarrow dodd, wild camping, wilderness 5 Comments

I’m going to say something that I don’t believe many people say: some of my favourite hills in the English Lake District are the rolling grassy bogland hillsides of its northern fells. There are some impressive looking mountains in the