WARNING - YOU AND THE SPRINGY HAVE TO BE FIT FOR THIS ONE.....DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT STURDY WALKING BOOTS AND A DAY PACK - THIS IS A SERIOUS HILL WALK

OH's recommendation (being the hillwalker of the family) is to start at Rydal Mount, one or Wordsworth's homes, (good parking facilities) ascending the steep slopes of Nab Scar, Rydal Fell, Heron Pike, Great Rigg Man, Fairfield, Hart Crag and a few others before dropping down into Ambleside. 12 miles in total, spectacular views but hard work.

Best time to start before 9pm finishing about 3.00pm taking in view stops and lunch and when you hit tarmac again, have a pint at the Golden Rule!

Then another 1.5 mile walk back to Rydal along the river (or get a bus/taxi if you're knackered/drunk or both )

I have to say that I DID NOT walk this, but OH has with Paddy and its the very first time I have actually seen Paddy so tired that he couldn't even stand up in the car to say hello when OH called to see me at work. OH reckons that as he walked the Fairfield Horseshoe once, Paddy must have done it at least three times by running back and forth.

There are sheep in parts but not so bad as to keep a springy on the lead for long.

Map


Great Rigg Man looking towards Ambleside with Windermere (the lake) on the left


The Horseshoe itself


From the Horseshoe over to Coniston Old Man


My advice to us low level walkers, send em off on their walk and head off to The Apple Pie Bakery in Ambleside.....yummy!

I can recommend too - have done this a number of times (albeit a number of years ago) and its a fantastic walk. Although its a long one which means you have to go at a good pace to get done in time there is an initial (very) hard climb then the rest is reasonably level(ish).