Great Mountain Days in the Lake District

An inspirational guidebook to 50 challenging walks on the high fells of the Lake District. The graded circular routes, between 4 and 14 miles in length, cover classic Lakeland summits like Fairfield, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Blencathra, to the lesser-known High Spy, King's How and Brund Fell.

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Overview

An inspirational guidebook to 50 memorable walks through the high fells of the Lake District. From the favourite summits of Scafell, Bowfell, Great Gable, the Crinkle Crags, to lesser-known fells, this guide offers only the best walks to explore all that is pure Lakeland.

Some of the 50 walks described in is this larger format book are well known classic challenges - such as Scafell Pike and Esk Pike, or the Gable Girdle - while others approach a favourite mountain from a new angle or combine several in a testing way. Each one can be crammed into a single, long day or backpacked over two to spend a little longer in this rugged and addictive landscape.
The circular walks are all graded, making this guidebook equally suitable for less experienced walkers looking for new summits and undiscovered areas of the Lake District, as well as experienced walkers looking for a challenging day out on the fells. All routes are illustrated with Harvey maps and the author's pictorial route diagrams.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Sir Chris Bonington
Preface

Introduction

About the guide
Caring for the fells
Fix the Fells
Weather to walk?
Before you start

The Routes

1 Lingmoor Fell
2 Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle
3 Loft Crag and Pike o’Stickle
4 Bowfell and Rossett Pike
5 Pike o’Blisco and Crinkle Crags
6 Wetherlam
7 Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man
8 Dow Crag, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Grey Friar
9 Black Combe
10 Harter Fell (Eskdale) and Hard Knott
11 Scafell Pike and Esk Pike
12 Scafell and Slight Side
13 Illgill Head and Whin Rigg
14 Great End, Scafell Pike and Lingmell
15 Pillar, Scoat Fell, Red Pike and Yewbarrow
16 Kirk Fell and Great Gable
17 Buckbarrow, Seatallan and Middle Fell
18 Crag Fell, Caw Fell and Haycock
19 Steeple, Scoat Fell and Pillar
20 Mellbreak
21 Whiteside, Hopegill Head, Grasmoor, Wandope, Whiteless Pike and Rannerside Knotts
22 High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike
23 Haystacks
24 Fleetwith Pike, Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson
25 Green Gable and Great Gable
26 Rosthwaite Fell and Glaramara
27 Eagle Crag, Sergeant’s Crag, High Raise and Ullscarf
28 High Spy, King’s How and Brund Fell
29 Catbells, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head and Hindscarth
30 Robinson, Knott Rigg and Ard Crags
31 Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Eel Crag, Sail, Outerside and Barrow
32 Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw Little Man, Skiddaw and Bakestall
33 Carrock Fell and High Pike
34 Bowscale Fell, Blencathra and Souther Fell
35 Blencathra
36 Clough Head, Great Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd and Hart Side
37 Raise, White Side and Helvellyn
38 Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag and Sergeant Man
39 Low Pike, High Pike, Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Heron Pike and Nab Scar
40 Red Screes, Litte Hart Crag, High Pike and Low Pike
41 Caudale Moor
42 Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Hartsop above How
43 Fairfield and St Sunday Crag
44 Dollywaggon Pike, Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn and Catstycam
45 Birkhouse Moor, Helvellyn, White Side, Raise, Stybarrow Dodd and Sheffield Pike
46 Place Fell
47 Steel Knotts, High Raise, Rampsgill Head, The Knott, Rest Dodd, Angletarn Pikes and Beda Head
48 High Street, Rampsgill Head and Kidsty Pike
49 Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street and Mardale Ill Bell
50 Shipman Knotts, Kentmere Pike and Harter Fell (Mardale)

Appendix 1: Concise Walk Reference and Personal Log
Appendix 2: Index of the Fells
Appendix 3: Further Reading

Maps

To aid visualisation the routes are depicted both on line diagrams and customised HARVEY maps (1:40,000). The former give an aerial impression of the walks, while the latter pin-point the key detail covered in the route description. The bold symbols of HARVEY maps make them well suited to outdoor use. HARVEY maps owe their origins to the dynamic sport of orienteering, and it shows. Note that key landmarks that feature on the maps and diagrams appear in bold in the text to help you plot the route.

Although the guide contains map extracts and diagrams, you are strongly advised to also take with you the relevant sheet map for the route – not only for safety, but also to help you get to know the wider area in which you are walking.

Six HARVEY Superwalker maps are required for the walks in this guide: Lakeland Central, Lakeland South West, Lakeland South East, Lakeland East, Lakeland West, Lakeland North.

Alternatively, four Ordnance Survey maps are needed: OL4 North-western area, OL5 North-eastern area, OL6 South-western area, OL7 South-eastern area.

Updates

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January 2019

Route updates and corrections

Page 4: The correct website address for Jon Allison is www.lakedistrictlandscapes.co.uk

Page 22: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY The web link to the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association (LDSAMRA) has changed to www.ldsamra.org.uk

Page 54: Route 7 - Ascent figure in the info box is wrong for this walk. It should read 742m not 555m.

Page 180: Route 31 - Start point grid reference is incorrect. It should read GR227237 and features in the Route Information box and also below
in column 1, para 1, line 5.

Page 215: Walk 38 - You need both OS Maps OL6 (South-western) and OL7 (South-eastern) to cover this walk.

Route 39 Both Map OL5, North-eastern area, and OL7, South-eastern area, are needed to cover this walk.

Reviews

Mark Richards was encouraged to produce illustrated guides by the late Alfred Wainwright, with whom he used to stay regularly. The 50 graded walks include famous peaks such as Blencathra, Great Gable, horseshoe ridge routes such as Fairfield and Helvellyn, ridge walks and scrambles and family days out.
It is illustrated with many fine photographs, most of them by Mark, his pictorial diagrams and map extracts.

In his forward Sir Chris Bonington writes: “ … Mark’s book reflects an exuberant affection for, and pleasure in, the exploration of the Cumbrian fells. He brings an artistic touch to the creation of a very practical and inspiring guide…”

(Cumbria Life, June/July 2008)

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It is always a precarious task to write a new guide to classic walks. Mark Richards manages the balancing act pretty well and still manages to put a spin on some well-loved walks in this handsome collection. While old favourites such as the Mosedale and Fairfield Horseshoe are there, others are given an unexpected twist. So the familiar Newlands trio of Dalehead, Hindscarth and Robinson find themselves teamed with Fleetwith Pike and ascended from Buttermere while the Kentmere round is split into two. It may offend some purists and some walks smack ever so slightly of novelty for its on sake but at least it makes for different views and interesting days. Each walk is enthusiastically described with a Harvey’s map and a 3D drawing of the route and some excellent photography.

(Cumbria, May 2008)

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'It is well said that a knowledge of the fells and mountains provides an alternative map of the terrain, alternative to the road-maps used by motorists and visitors who appreciate landscape more from the valleys and viewpoints that from higher and more strenuous vantage points. Mark Richards is an experienced guide to anyone planning serious walking in the area. His fifty great mountain days capture the high moments (literally and metaphorically) that, for any keen walker, will be unforgettable.

Richards provides an introductory chapter on gear and emergencies and weather, all fairly standard for such guides : this is after all an area of publishing where there are books for every level of capability and ambition. Because of this, Great Mountain Days will be one of many considered by the serious walker, and by any library and bookstore stocking such books. It stands out because its choice of the fifty routes is spot on, the information and advice really does distill what anyone would need for planning (have maps alongside you at this stage as well as later!), and, as an illustrated introduction to the more graduated walks in the Lakes, it makes an attractive addition to the shelf.

This is a book for planning and doing yet it does not ignore dreaming and recalling – and reminding readers that you really do want to go back. Responsibly, too, Cicerone are donating part of the profits from this book to the Fix the Fells project (enabled by the Tourism & Conservation Partnership). The trade-offs between conservation and boots continue.'

(Library Review publication / May 2008)

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'...most of the well-known ridge walks and scrambles are covered, including Scafell Pike, Fairfield, Sharp Edge and Great Gable, but with expert commentary, as well as some stunning colour photos and Harvey's map extracts.

It's a quality addition to the bookshelves'

(Walk magazine / Autumn 2008)

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