Outdoors shite: favourite walks with children

[GrimmaTheNome]

Please indicate age and terrain.

I'll start with Pen-y-ghent - its not too long a trek to get to the start of the climb (if you park on the road in the right place ) and the climb is very scrambly. Child gets good sense of achievement without too much boring slog.

Age - DD was 6 when she first did it, I've seen younger. Does require the child to have enough nous and coordination not to fall off the path in places!

When mine were 3 and 6 I used to go to Gummers How near Fell Foot park in the Lake District a lot. It was a small bit of a scramble for kids so I told them they were rock climbing - well they were!! and it has fantasic views of Windermere.

Not as 'difficult' as Pen Y gent so maybe a pre yorkshire Dales on.

I agree with Grimma about the achievement on that one. It is a lovely place especialy if you go to the cafe in Horton in Ribblesdale afterwards for some cake!

The coastal paths in norfolk are child friendly with no cliffs to fall off in most places.

There's another thread started here at the same time - I've suggested we use that for 'pushchair-possible' walks. Pen-y-Ghent ain't

Loughrigg - 3 years upwards
Dovedale - flat with nice river to look at. 2 years upwards
Thor's cave in manifold valley - 4 years upwards
Dun Caan on Raasay - 4 years plus
Stickle Tarn, langdale pikes - 4years
Holme fell, near ambleside
Helm Crag, near grasmere - 4 years plus

Will try and think of more

Oops sorry Grimma.

The Long Mynd in Shropshire is lovely. With a big visitors centre in Carding Mill Valley and wild ponies on the top. Well marked paths up through most of the valleys that aren't terribly steep climbs.

As kids, we regularly went up The Wrekin. also Shropshire. Straightforward but quite steep motorway of a path to the top but also lots of lesser used routes snaking around where deer can usually be spotted.

Beeston Hill or Rawhead on the Sandstone trail are great little walks with lots of 'bang for your buck' when it comes to views and Bulkley hill from Burwardsley via the railway track is fun but the track is VERY steep. It can be bypassed though.

Moel Famau is a great walk for kids too. Straightforward 1 mile-ish trail to the top.

All of these I'd say were suitable for 4+ although I have seen younger children on them all.

The more the merrier, sheep

Someone has just mentioned Ingleborough on the grownup thread - I'll add that here.

The main way up from Clapham (nice teashops, good parking with loo):
The first part is (I think) pushable; quite small kids can probably get as far as the Caves, which is a good target. A bit bigger they can go up the next scrambly section and as far as Gaping Ghyll. Then next phase is to go the whole way - its a bit of a slog but DD did it at about 8 by that route. Take plenty of food and drink (snacks/icecreams available at the cave)

There's a shorter, steeper way up from the road that goes past white scar caves (I think) - that's the way DD went up when she was 6. She complained it wasn't scrambly enough - I think it used to be but they've cut steps in the path.

I love Dalby Forest lots of lumpy rock formations to climb on and get stuck on and have to cry to get my dad to lift me down from. Went when I was small and now I take my children (5,9,12).

I'll second both Dovedale (flat, good path, river fun to chuck twigs in and a good cave halfway along) and Mau Famau, steady incline with cool views at the top.

Delamere Forest is fun to do with kids. Lots of circular walks (well signposted with coloured dots, my two love running on ahead to find the next one) and the woods are great for exploring in.

Manifold Way in the Peak District (just west of Dovedale - can be done in parts, on foot, on bike (tarmac, so easy for small bikes) with a pushchair. We have done all of these. You don't need to walk the whole way - Waterhouses to Hulme End - as there are car parks along the way. You can divert off the main path to see Thor's Cave and there are a couple of places serving drinks etc.
Monsal Trail also worth considering for another virtually flat walk/bike ride/buggy friendly route in the Peak District.

Oh I used to love Moel Famau, we went there loads when I was little. Also lovely walks for little ones in Loggerheads Country Park.

The Blorenge near Abergavenny is a good one, you can drive right up and walk around it so you get great views without any strenuous climbing.

so how many miles a day for a flattish walk? Could I start at 3 and 4?

so how many miles a day for a flattish walk? Could I start at 3 and 4?

do you mean your kids are 3&4? I think the rule of thumb is that once they're over about 3, up to a mile per year of their age. Obv build up to it if they aren't used to walking. And as ever, Your Model May Vary.

Oh, what a useful rule of thumb. Excellent. Will start planning. Thanks.

DS was 3 when he did Pen-y-ghent (DD was 6) and he did Ingleborough & Whernside the following year.

Now we've moved onto the Lake District. DCs have now done 12 there ranging from Loughrigg to Scafell Pike. We've booked a cottage for a week this summer so will proabably climb a few more. DS has a map on which he highlights all the hills he's climbed. (I've not bought him a Munroe map as i don't want him to get hooked on climing those - one was enough).

The HT at their school said that as a guide, a child should be able to walk 1 more mile than their age. We always allow same time for coming down as for going up unlike adults who tend to descend faster.

Respect, Beanbagz

We always allow same time for coming down as for going up unlike adults who tend to descend faster.

Really? I find that DD skips down much faster than us. We do all use a stick though which helps get downhill without splatting!

DS skips down GrimmaTheNome but it's DD dragging her heels & DH's knackered knees!

Today we found a nice walk - Cartmel to Hampsfell Hospice

The carpark is by the racecource and you walk through the grounds if the priory (I think its worth going in but being a sunday it was being used when we passed) then up the cistercian way.

Bit of a slog but not long, the top is crowned by limestone pavement which is always fun, and the 'hospice' is good for learning about bearings. The view on a clear day is fantastic - a panorama of the whole of Morecambe bay, round to the lake district ranges, howgills.

We intend to go up from the Grange side sometime, which is wooded - think that should be good too. Either way, plenty of teashops/ice cream places at the end.

Any recommendations for west coast of Scotland?

Where about west coast of Scotland - tis a big place...

Have done a few nice ones on Mull with 2.5 yr old DS. Also on some of the other Hebridean islands.

We're off to Ardnamurchan this summer - look a few good options there. DS usually keen and motivated if there's a beach as a final destination or on the way.

Dovedale was also good because you can entertain children with tales of how it was once coral reef and underwater. For Octonauts obsessed DS, this was very exciting....

West coast of scotland:
Cow Hill, Fort William - easygoing
Stac Pollaid north of Ullapool - bit exposed, on the to do list for 5 year old this year
Ullapool Hill good paths; shorten by starting at Braes of Ullapool
Flowerdale in Gairloch; very nice, suitable 4 years up

(anywhere near the west coast you were thinking of?)

Ranadale Knocks (sp?) in the N Lakes is great for really small ones (2y+) - can get to the top in less than an hour (at toddler pace) lots of little scrambly bits, and it feels like a mountain from the top.

Also Haystacks in the Lakes - from about 8 up.

Snowdon up the pig track is great, and the cafe at the top was a huge motivator for my DS. Did that when he was 10 and with a friend who's DS was 8. Took DS up Mol Siabod (sp?) last year (aged 11) - proper scrambling, but he loved it :)

Also second Dovedale and the steps up to the cave at the South end for young ones.

Mam Tor in the Peaks was good too.

What my DS likes best is to put all our stuff in rucksacks and walk from one hostel/B&B to another - can be fiddly to arrange (and need to pack v carefully), but gives a real sense of purpose about the walking.

I mile per year of their age is about right I find. Both of mine are slower than adults on the flat or no easy uphilll, but just as fast when there's any scramblin involved, and come down much faster.

Thanks for all the west coast recommendations. I'm not sure where about we will go but the Isle of Skye will feature.

We took my DD (9), DS (5, but only by 2 days), together with a group of friends and their children girl (11), girl (10), girl (9), girl (7) and boy (7) up Rhyd Ddu path to the summit of Snowdon last summer. It was harder going than we thought - due to an error on the map reader's part - but we all really enjoyed it. We're planning on some more walking in Dumfries this July and the Pyrennes this August. We can't wait. Its the only way to get our DS to actually sleep more than 8 hours, so its definitely worth it .

The waterfalls walk at ingleton is very good. Good paths, bit uphill on the way out, down on the way back. Think it's about five miles?