Hike ideas in Lakes

[ohyesohyesoh]

Hi we have some long walk experience but want to have a go at moderate routes in the Lakes. If we did the easy route up Snowdon, can we manage Helvellyn?
Id say we are better following a signed route as opposed to just going on our map reading ability.

any other ideas for The Lakes? We will be based around Ambleside so pretty central ? I think Keswick will be too far to drive for the day plus walk.
TIA

There aren’t many signed routes in the Lakes. An occasional national trust sign pointing to a footpath around a lake, or similar, but I don’t think there are signed routes up mountains. At least, none I can think of. I always use a combo of map and os map downloaded on phone - it’s great where you have the ability to position yourself on a downloaded phone map but you absolutely mustn’t rely on them - drains the battery and isn’t always available.

There are not really signposted routes in the lakes so I suggest you learn to read a map - get one of your local area to practise - it’s not hard

Fairfield horseshoe is direct from Ambleside but
don’t do it without good visibility and forecast given your lack of experience - an out and back line might be better until you learn maps better

lion and lamb from grasmere is nice also

Most of the high routes are not well signed and you’ll need to follow maps - I’d suggest you need the os maps 1:25000 scale plus I’d recommend the wainwright books that will give you some good routes and information to help follow them, with info on the distances between key points, and descriptions about the terrain.

You’ll manage the walking ok if you can manage long walks with a climb and a bit of scrambling, but need to be properly equipped (boots, waterproofs etc) and I’d say spend some time refreshing map reading and using a compass- you should never rely on maps on a phone in case you run out of charge etc.

there's a nice walk to Grassmere from Ambleside that goes one way via Rydal and back via Lochrigg fell or Lochrigg Terrace.

Helvellyn from the Wythburn carpark on the Thirlmire side is pretty much a stone pitched stepped path almost all the way to the top of the crags. Once you're above the crags you can see the top of Helvellyn over to your left and the very clear path all the way to it looking depressingly far away

There is a circular route with another stone pitched path to go down but it's not easy to find and involves going down Helvellyn Lower Man (steep, loose, pebbly) so if you're not confident with maps/navigation, I'd return the same way.

If you did the easy route (assume you mean the Llanberis path that flanks the side of the train) then this route ^^ is a lot steeper.

I use the OS pathfinder guides. To be fair I wouldn’t just use them if it was dodgy weather on the tops. And I carry a map too. But they are great and very clear. https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/OrdnanceSurvey/page/A41A2B3C-5B1E-48DB-9EEE-E5E413C8C067

Buy some guide books and the right OS map.
from Ambleside, Loughrig is a good one, and sign posted between the chippy and the cinema, but the top is a maze of paths, so you need a book and a map.
the rydal coffin trail and back the other side of Grasmere is lovely. Fairfield horseshoe is long and steep and goes up and down a lot, and needs excellent visibility. We also like Wansfell, but again you need a map as not signed at the crucial turn off on the way up. The return via Robin lane is lovely
Enjoy, Ambleside is so wonderful to visit

Buttermere is pretty.

Thanks. Think we have decided on Elterwater circular and then we are going further north. Have maps. Will be great. Thanks for the ideas

Sounds like a great plan - have a lovely time!

I'm going to go against the majority call and suggest you should get one of the many navigation apps on your phone that allow you to download the appropriate map and a gpx file to use with the phone in airplane mode (so it doesn't drain the battery). It doesn't need phone signal because it works off satellites. Take a battery pack with you to be safe, but you won't need it if you're just out for the day. It shows exactly where you are and which way you're pointing, so it will work even in thick cloud, when you cant see anything to take a compass bearing on. Take a map as back up

I use one called mapy.cz, but komoot and gaia are also good and there's an OS one too. The ones I've mentioned will have a large number of footpaths pre-loaded; if the path you want to go on is already on the app, then you won't need a gpx. Screenshot from Mapy attached

Using it in heavy rain can be awkward because the rain drops and a touch screen don't go well together...

Thank you.
we did Elterwater with a map. Was great. Didn’t need to look at a phone. Totally no signal so that was good. Then we did a big circuit of Derwent and we did download All trails. It worked brilliantly. I think if we went more remote it would be good to have a back up map for sure. Can’t wait to go back

I use os maps and lakes & trails pro. Also paper map