At last! the weather’s warmed up and the days are longer.
Summer’s here and it’s the perfect time for exploring the Cumbrian countryside at a leisurely pace or for heading high to enjoy a long hike on the Lake District fells.
Summer timetables also make it easier than ever to get around the county by bus.
Forget about having to get up early to beat everyone to that last parking space; simply let the bus do the work for you.
Leaving the car at home means you’re doing your bit for the environment too, so it’s a win-win situation.
Award-winning guidebook writer and photographer Vivienne Crow has come up with her favourite 10 walks that you’re sure to enjoy this summer – and all of them are accessible by Stagecoach bus.
From lake circuits to long ridge walks, there’s something here to suit all tastes.
Advice before you set off
Make sure you’ve got a map and are equipped for whatever the weather might throw at you.
If you’re heading to the fells, check out the Adventure Smart website for advice.
For information on bus times, go to the Stagecoach website or download the Stagecoach Bus app from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
Pensioners travel free with a NoW card while everyone else pays only £2 per journey under the national fare-cap scheme.
Walk 1: Hoad Monument
Bus route: 6/X6 to Ulverston
Length/ difficulty: 3 miles; easy; approximately 2 hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL6, English Lakes SW and OL7, English Lakes SE
Designed to resemble the Eddystone Lighthouse, the 100ft-high Hoad Monument stands on a small hill above Ulverston, visible for miles around.
It was built in 1850 to remember Sir John Barrow, a naval administrator and founder member of the Royal Geographical Society who was born in Ulverston in 1764.
From the bus stop, head for Ford Park and then climb to the top of Hoad Hill.
There’s a good path all the way.
The monument is open to the public on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter to October, which means you can climb the spiral staircase inside and enjoy the spectacular outlook from the top.
Even if it’s not open, there are excellent views from the hill itself – out across Morecambe Bay and, looking to the north, an array of Lakeland summits.
From the top, join Chittery Lane down the north side of the hill and then skirt the base of Flan Hill to pick up the Gill Banks Beck path back into Ulverston.
Walk 2: Beetham and the Fairy Steps
Bus route: 755 to Beetham Primary School
Length/difficulty: 6½ miles; easy/moderate; approximately 3 hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL7, English Lakes SE
History and geology combine to make this a fascinating and varied walk.
Just a stone’s throw from the River Kent, it takes in a deer park, flirts with the edge of the estuary, follows woodland trails and crosses limestone pavement.
An historic corn mill, the Georgian mansion of Dallam Tower and a fortified farmhouse are among the many highlights along the way, but it’s the Fairy Steps that make this route so memorable.
These once formed part of an old corpse road.
Before the burial ground in nearby Arnside was consecrated in the 1860s, mourners had to climb this narrow, rocky stairway hewn from the limestone while hauling coffins up the short cliff-face using metal rings embedded in the rock.
Legend has it that if you can pass through the gap without touching the sides, you’ll see a fairy on the other side. If you can’t manage the steps and you’re not too bothered about fairies, there is a path that bypasses the tricky bit.
Walk 3: Lingmoor Fell
Bus route: 516 to Elterwater
Length/difficulty: 7¼ miles; moderate/hard; approximately 4¾ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL6, English Lakes SW and OL7, English Lakes SE
Lingmoor Fell sits by itself, dividing Great Langdale from Little Langdale, and is overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbours, including the Langdale Pikes, Wetherlam and Crinkle Crags.
At 1,538ft/469m above sea level, it’s little more than a small bump on the Lakeland landscape, but don’t be fooled into thinking you are in for an easy time…
Having caught the 516 from Ambleside, get off the bus near the Britannia Inn in Elterwater.
The climb from here is fairly straightforward, starting on quiet lanes and woodland tracks before ascending the open fellside and heading out along the grassy ridge.
So far, so easy, but there are some exciting moments ahead…
The descent is surprisingly steep and rough in places and there’s even a narrow rock squeeze on Side Pike that some people may find difficult.
After dropping from Side Pike though, it’s plain sailing again as you amble along pleasant valley paths below the iconic Langdale Pikes.
Walk 4: Easedale Tarn
Bus route: 555 or 599 to Grasmere
Length/difficulty: 4½ miles; moderate; approximately 3¼ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL6, English Lakes SW and OL7, English Lakes SE
The Lake District is, of course, famous for its sparkling bodies of water: while its ribbon lakes keep valley walkers enthralled, it is the upland tarns that captivate hill-walkers.
Easedale Tarn occupies the happy ground between the two – high enough to be away from the valley roads and crowds, but not so high that it’s beyond the capabilities of anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.
The tarn is located in a lovely upland bowl with steep, rocky faces to the north.
Starting from the bus stop near the village green in Grasmere, this walk uses a clear but sometimes rough path to reach this dazzling jewel, passing the dramatic waterfalls of Sourmilk Gill on the way up.
In dry weather, the walk could be extended by completing a circuit of the tarn, but the trails are vague and usually very wet underfoot.
In normal conditions, simply ford the tarn’s outlet stream and return to Grasmere via peaceful Far Easedale.
Walk 5: Helvellyn
Bus route: 555 to Wythburn Church
Length/difficulty: 6¾ miles; hard; approximately 4¾ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL5, English Lakes SE
Summer’s probably the best time of year for tackling Helvellyn, England’s third highest mountain, and, with the 555 bus passing along the base of the range’s western slopes, there are lots of ways to enjoy the fell using the popular Stagecoach service.
Walks start from Stanah, Thirlspot, Swirls, Wythburn and Dunmail Raise, and you can opt for linear or circular routes.
For a relatively short circular route, ask the bus
driver to drop you at Wythburn Church and then, having left Thirlmere’s forests behind, climb the Birk Side path onto the high ridge.
It’s a tough ascent at times but there’s a massive sense of achievement when you finally reach that 3,116ft (950m) summit and drink in the amazing views.
Be careful to locate the correct path down from the top.
It heads north-west from Lower Man, over the top of Browncove Crags, then skitters down to Swirls.
From here, forest tracks lead back to Wythburn.
Walk 6: Buttermere lake circuit
Bus route: 77/77A or 77C to Buttermere
Length/difficulty: 4½ miles; easy; approximately 2¼ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW
Buttermere occupies a sublime location in the west of the Lake District National Park.
Steep-sided, rugged mountains rear up directly from its shores, almost completely encircling the lake.
Catch the 77/77A from Keswick or the 77C from Cockermouth and start the anti-clockwise circuit from Buttermere village.
Clear, well-maintained paths through woodland and along the base of the fells allow for easy walking on the south-western shore – providing lots of opportunities for photography. (The image of Fleetwith Edge rising heavenward from the top end of the lake will be familiar to anyone who’s ever scrolled through Instagram.)
After crossing Peggy’s Bridge and passing Gatesgarth Farm, a short section of road walking leads to the path along the north-eastern shore.
One of the highlights of this section, other than the views across to craggy mountains on the far side of the lake, is the short, but unlit rock tunnel near Hassness House.
Return to Buttermere for lunch or an afternoon treat in one of the village’s cafes or pubs.
Walk 7: Patterdale to Troutbeck (linear fell walk)
Bus route: both Patterdale and Troutbeck are served, in summer, by the 508 service
Length/difficulty: 12½ miles; hard; approximately 7¼ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL5, English Lakes NE and OL7, English Lakes SE
One of the great things about long summer days is that they give you time to walk for hours and hours along high ridges.
It’s even better if you can turn those walks into linear journeys, from one place to another, with the scenery steadily changing as you progress...
The summer extension to the 508 bus from Penrith to Windermere opens up several opportunities to do just that in the eastern and far eastern Lake District fells.
I’d recommend climbing up to beautiful Angle Tarn from Patterdale and then making your way to High Street and Thornthwaite Crag.
From there, the roller-coaster western arm of the Kentmere Horseshoe beckons.
The views from the shapely peaks of Froswick and Ill Bell are magnificent, taking in a vast panorama that includes Morecambe Bay to the south.
The day ends with a steady descent over Yoke and down to the old Garburn Road for some easy track walking to idyllic Troutbeck.
Walk 8: North-western ridgelines (linear fell walk)
Bus route: both Lanthwaite Green and Braithwaite are served by the 77/77A service from Keswick
Length/difficulty: 8¼ miles; hard; approximately 6 hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW
While we’re on the subject of those long ridgelines just crying out to be walked…
There are even more excellent fell walks to be enjoyed in the North-western Fells, particularly during the summer months when the 77/77A bus makes linear routes more accessible.
The only difficulty is trying to decide which tops to string together.
There’s Whiteless Pike, Wandope, Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike, Robinson, Dale Head, Maiden Moor… Let me make it easy for you.
Ask the bus driver to drop you at Lanthwaite Green and, from there, climb the horribly steep path up Whiteside.
All that puffing and panting is then rewarded as you head out along the superb ridge over Gasgale Crags – sometimes narrow, sometimes rocky but never intimidating.
From Hopegill Head, drop to Coledale Hause and then climb Crag Hill.
After negotiating The Scar and crossing Sail, there’s another decision to be made before dropping to the bus stop in Braithwaite.
Causey Pike or Outerside and Barrow? So many choices!
Walk 9: Castle Crag
Bus route: 77/77A or 78 to Rosthwaite
Length/difficulty: 4¼ miles; easy/moderate; approximately 2¼ hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW
Sitting at the entrance to Borrowdale and surrounded by dense oak woodland, Castle Crag is the lowest of the 214 Wainwright peaks.
It can be reached from a variety of points along the route of the 77/77A and 78 buses, including Grange, Seatoller and Rosthwaite.
One of the best circular walks starts from the latter.
It starts by heading up to a balcony path skirting the base of the fells and then negotiates the old slate quarry workings to clamber to the top of Castle Crag for superb views of the wooded valley below and Skiddaw to the north.
Dropping back down the slate, you could simply return the way you came, but a better option is to complete a circuit of the tiny fell – through the woods and visiting Millican Dalton’s cave along the way.
Between the two world wars, former insurance clerk Dalton spent summers in a split-level cavern left by quarrymen, trying to live self-sufficiently.
He grew vegetables on the terrace outside the cave and earned money by offering holidays to would-be adventurers.
Walk 10: Penrith and the Beacon
Bus route: 104, X4, X5, 508, 509 and 563 to Penrith
Length/difficulty: 3 miles; easy; approximately 2 hours
Map: Ordnance Survey OL5, English Lakes NE
Situated close to junction 40 on the M6, the red sandstone market town of Penrith is more than just a gateway to the Lake District.
It’s a place with a rich history that rewards those who are happy to wander and explore.
The town’s castle was built at the end of the fourteenth century in response to repeated Scottish raids, while the churchyard of St Andrew’s contains even earlier artefacts including the Giant’s Grave and the Giant’s Thumb.
To make more sense of the town’s heritage, pop into the Penrith and Eden Museum on Middlegate which houses displays relating to the area’s mining heritage and various prehistoric artefacts unearthed locally.
Having explored the town centre – and maybe enjoyed what’s on offer in Penrith’s many independent shops – the next stop has to be Beacon Hill.
The summit is less than an hour’s walk from the town centre and provides views into the Lake District.
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