Walks ending at Braithwaite 31st August 2025

The A walk will be led by Alex and is approximately 9 ½ miles and 3300 feet in 'bite size' sections.

It includes 5 Wainwrights.

This is a version of the Coledale Horseshoe, but we'll be doing it in a clockwise direction ascending the ridge by the easier and gradual route from Braithwaite via High Coledale, Stile End and Outerside before a brief climb up to Scar Crags, which has quite a narrow summit and is our first splendid viewpoint. From here we head along the ridge which includes: Sail, Crag Hill, Eel Crag, descent to Coledale House, then climb again to Hopegill Head, along Hobcarten Crag to the final summit of the day, Grizedale Pike. From this summit it's a long gradual descent back down to Braithwaite. There are two areas we need to take extra care: a short section of scrambling on Crag Hill, and the descent from Grizedale Pike is initially steep and rocky.

 

The B walk will be led by Lesley and is approximately 7 – 8 miles and 1700 – 1800 feet.

From Derwent Water Bridge we walk down to Portoscale through to Fawe Park, Stub Hill & Derwent Bay to Hawse End by undulating paths and road to reach the path taking us up onto Cat Bells! The path winds up Cat Bells and is rocky in places (we may have to do a little scrambling) going over Skelgill Bank onto Cat Bells proper where, hopefully, we get some splendid views! We then descend down to the House via Mart Bield, and continue our descent into the Newlands valley via Brunt Crag, passing old mine workings and going under Looking Crag. From here we take the path to Little Town following Newlands Beck to Rowling End Farm & Stair. The return to Braithwaite is by road, then the path alongside the beck to Little Braithwaite and finish.

 

The C walk will be led by Phil and is 5.8 miles and about 700 feet of ascent & descent.

Nothing too strenuous and no stiles path around.

The walk starts in Keswick passing the Pheasant Inn to join a path down through the woods to Crossthwaite Church where we will have our first stop with views of Cat Bells and Causey pike etc. We then take a path down to cross the B5289 and head over the bridge into Portinscale and then alongside the road to Nichols End. We take the miles without stiles path past Lingholm and the Alpacas to reach the base of Cat Bells and then Skelgill where we will have our second stop with views over to Bassenthwaite and beyond.

We then head down the road to Stair and join paths across fields to Uzzicar farm and on to the Newlands Road for a short distance before taking a bracken lined path along the flanks of Barrow to Braithwaite lodge and then Braithwaite.