Which peak? Lake district July

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We'll be in Braithwaite for a few days in July (possibly before English schools finish). DS (13) would like to climb a mountain. We did Ben Arthur a couple of years ago (884 metres (2,900 ft)). Knackered afterwards but it wasn't beyond us. Any recommendations? He will not be fobbed off with Cat Bells, it is not a mountain and he will figure this out as it won't take long enough.

Skiddaw?
Helvellyn but the non striding edge route?

It looks like Skiddaw is safer? Not sure if I'm over worrying about that aspect.

Skiddaw is the obvious one. It’s one of the highest in England. It’s boring walking in some respects but easy.

my other tip would be Helvellyn by the tourist track up from Wythburn Church. It’s easy but not boring. Alternatively, go from Grasmere to Grisedale Tarn, up Dollywaggon Pine then a marvellous ridge walk across to Helvellyn then down via Sticks pass to the Keswick road. You can do the whole thing using local buses so not clogging up the area with nasty cars.

if you’re new to the Lake District I wouldn’t recommend Striding or Swirral Edges for Helvellyn.

you could start at Buttermere and go up Haystacks and over onto Glaramara. Or just up Glaramara from Stoneyhwaite.

And whoever told you Cat Bells isn’t a mountain (we actually call them “fells” here) doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Try starting in Rosthwaite and doing High Spy, Msiden Moor, then onto Cat Bells and down to Portinscale and on to Keswick or wherever. Again, use the bus.

Skiddaw the views are amazing!

I’ve done both Skiddaw and Helvellyn with kids from 11 upwards and it’s always felt manageable if you don’t do striding edge.

Coniston - though not sure how far away it is.
I've done it so it can't be that difficult

I was just looking at the height of Cat Bells, it does sound like a lovely walk. I'd go for that if it was up to me but I don't think the boy will have it. I will look more at buses. We're usually car avoidant that doesn't tend to work for hill walking in Scotland so I hadn't really considered it.

There are nice routes up Skidaw - west side ridge and the down the normal path

Blencathra is also nice - again west ridge in is nice and avoids any excitement

Yeah Cat Bells is only 450m and is over and done with in under an hour. You could get boat from Keswick over, do Cat Bells and then continue up over Maiden Moor and High Spy. Then double back a bit, drop back down and continue the loop round Derwent Water back to Keswick. Did that last summer, think it was just under 4 hours.

Helvellyn via the edges is nice, not sure why everyone is not recommending it to a 13yo; my 7 and 10 year old nieces did that last summer. Fairfield Horseshoe is another decent walk and gets you 7 (I think) Wainwrights in, my nieces managed that one too. Buses from Keswick to Ambleside are fairly regular.

Helvellyn from the thirlmere side is fine, I did that when I was about your DSs age the first time I went to the lakes having done no hill walking before that.

Helvellyn via the edges is nice, not sure why everyone is not recommending it to a 13yo;

I think it's more we're not recommending it to the 13yos DM who sounds like she might have preferred the catbells

Yes we quite often do Helvellyn (up and back) from the car park on theThirlmere side. It's nothing like as dangerous or terrifying as the Striding Edge approach but you get great views of Striding Edge and the Swirrals from the top.

Cumbria Council and Stagecoach publish a brilliant booklet with times for all the buses and special day tickets.

Using the buses means you are able to do linear rather than circular walks.

For excitement and a sense of the solitariness of walking on the fells, I’d suggest doing Cat Bells last - start from Rosthwaite straight up High Spy - it’s a good steep walk. And you move towards Cat Bells against the flow of the day trippers.

But I like a good ridge walk - get up high and walk along - Ullscarf is fun for that if you like bogs!

Id second the suggestion for the Fairfield Horsehoe, although it’s like the M5 in high summer. But you hardly need a map for it.

@GoodThinkingMax thanks for the bus tip, it would be great to be able to avoid having to do a circular route.

I'll update the team with everyone's suggestions and see what they think. It begins to look like we might do more than one. Last night was ridiculously hectic at home, tonight is only standard hectic so might fit in discussion with the lads (DH and DS).

Buses were expensive ? Worse than parking

Parking is limited and cars really wreck the Lake District.

The great Wainwright did his walking from Kendal, by bus.

Here’s a starting link to the bus system in Cumbria in the summer. You can click through to download a PDF of the brochure, and it’s available on all the buses.

The Lake District gets wrecked by too many cars of the day trippers who like to just drive around. If you’re DS is serious about fell walking, he could do worse than learn to get around by the buses. A day ticket is a minor expense compared with the damage done by cars and inconsiderate parking and congestion here.

cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road-safety/transport/publictransport/busserv/busservmap.asp

Which is why in many countries tourists get free or time cost bus travel

Scafell Pike via the corridor route? it is an interesting varied route, you come back along the main tourist route back to Seathwaite, start is also near Braithwaite. its a 19km walk so a good day out.

or green gable and great gable and drop down to styhead tarn

or green gable and great gable and drop down to styhead tarn

That's a lovely walk. Although both that & Scafell are challenging if you've got no fell walking experience, which I rather suspect is the OP’s situation, else she’d never have posted here.

For excitement and a sense of the solitariness of walking on the fells, I’d suggest doing Cat Bells last - start from Rosthwaite straight up High Spy - it’s a good steep walk. And you move towards Cat Bells against the flow of the day trippers.

From painful memories, if you walk all afternoon towards Keswick with the sun at your back… do make sure you’ve put sun cream on the backs of your knees.

Oops!

I always walk in running leggings so no problem. Although I do have still the clear mark of my running top from a hot day getting up to Glaramara last September.

We’ve done many peaks in the Lakes with similar aged dses and younger. Just looked at my photos and we first went when ds1 was 13 and ds2 just turned 12.

Blencathra from Threlkeld is good for a frisson of excitement. DS1 loved it, he’s like a mountain goat. DH managed fine, I was terrified and did it first time but didn’t manage it a second time. Ds2 hates walking but managed it fine first time, opted to turn back with me second time round🤣

Skiddaw is fine and the views are awesome but it is a dull walk.

Scafell Pike or Great Gables are majestic walks depending on the route you take. We did scafell pike from Seathwaite which was a lovely scenic route. Great Gables we did from Honister pass, views are incredible from the top of both.

I love the Lake District, it’s just glorious.

You can do the Coledale horseshoe from your door if you’re staying in Braithwaite.

If you're staying at Braithwaite definitely look at the Coledale horseshoe or drive/bus to seathwaite and climb glaramara. Lovely mountain and will be quieter than helvellyn or skiddaw. You could definitely make a day of the catbells ridge over to maiden moor/high spy and combined with taking the launch to the start it's a lovely day out.