ChgoGal

Hello, Fodorites.

Just beginning to plan a spring trip (early-mid April) and am wondering if any locals might help steer me in the right direction.

I wonder if there are some base villages in the Lake District or the Peak District someone might recommend for a few longer-distance walks (9-12 miles or so). The issue is, I’m not so confident a walker to attempt traversing the area with just my compass and an OS Explorer map. I would need a somewhat marked pathway (along with my compass and map).

My dream trip would allow me to base myself in one village and do either circular walks, or walk from one village to another (and perhaps bus/taxi back to “home” village). I would hope to spend 5-6 days doing this.

I loved the Cotswolds for their well-marked paths and the proximity of villages to one another, but am keen to explore farther north and a different terrain.

Perhaps I’ll have to hire a guide and join some groups for these areas (which I don’t think I would find nearly as exhilarating), but thought I’d reach out to a few folks first as I really do prefer going it alone.

Lake District: Scafell Pike keeps coming up as a popular walk destination, and this looks beautiful to me.

Peak District: I spent too short a time in Pately Bridge a couple years back, and loved the landscape and people there. I would also love to be able to base close to Chatsworth and walk there.

[I’ll fly into Manchester, rent a car, drop off somewhere (not London), and will fly out of London.]

Any ideas?

As always, thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Morgana

Pateley Bridge is nowhere near the Peak District, it's in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire. Did you mean you want to find somewhere that's like Pateley in size and character?

PatrickLondon

There's some general information and advice here:
http://www.lakedistrictwalks.net/

There are lots and lots of companies offering packages for self-guided walking holidays in the Lakes and elsewhere, either from a base or point-to-point. They'll make the bookings and move your luggage as required, and will supply all the walking directions and maps - all you have to do is turn up with the recommended kit.

I suspect they're all much of a muchness, but no doubt different people have their favourites. Here's some of the ones I've noted over the years (the only one I've experience of is Contours, with whom I went to Hadrians' Wall - that was fine):
http://www.contours.co.uk/
http://www.discoverytravel.co.uk/
http://www.celtic-trails.com
http://www.explorebritain.com/default.asp
http://www.mickledore.co.uk/
http://www.sherpa-walking-holidays.c...tain/wcwrc.asp
http://www.macsadventure.com/Inn_Way...t/overview.php
http://www.peak-tours.com/Walking-Holidays.php

ChgoGal

Hi, Morgana and Patrick.
So nice to see you both reply.
Morgana -- I was getting screwy with the geography. Sorry. Yes, I suppose I very much like the character and "look" of that landscape. Maybe I should be looking in North Yorkshire, too. (Back to my research.)

Patrick -- I love that you used "much of a muchness." Thanks for all the links. I'll take a look this afternoon. I really need to narrow my choices or build a spreadsheet or something. Hope to avoid using a tour planner, but maybe that is the best way to go. In the event I tumble into a crevice, someone might have a notion to look for me.

ChgoGal

Oh, gosh. Just checked out the Contours site. I might need to rethink this resistance to organized tours.
Patrick, as this was a self-guided walk, did you encounter any difficulties navigating with their provided map/directions?

DickieG

Chgogal

I would head for The Lakes over the Peak District. The moors in the Peaks can be very bleak, with the areas that do have "micro" landscapes being very, very busy.

My mother in law lives in Braithwaite, Near Keswick.

I cannot think of a better base. I get up in the morning and have a option of at least 15 circular walks from the village. One of these includes the walk around Derwentwater which has to be one of the most beautiful flat walks in England.

http://www.landscape-images.co.uk/derwent_water_1.htm

It is fairly easy to walk around :

Borrowdale, Grizedale Pike, Cummock and Buttermere from this village without touching a car.

From Red Pike you can see Scotland and New York! on a clear day. The Red Pike ridge along Buttermere is one of the most rewarding in England (even without NYC), you see three four lakes, three valleys and Scotland.

The village pub is solid and its hearty post walk food is a legend.

http://coledale-inn.co.uk/

It has reasonable rooms.

BTW the whole Lake District is marked out with defined paths, indeed it is expected that you stick to the paths to reduce erosion.

Good luck with the weather, last April was our warmest month, 27oC.

It rained pretty much since.

Let me know if you would like any further information.

ps the coast in Scotland facing The Lakes is just over an hours drive and is much overlooked. It is our favourite place in Britain.

http://www.walkscotland.plus.com/oth...l/pages/07.htm

ChgoGal

Dickie G,
Thank you. This is exactly the sort of information I'm looking for.

DickieG

ChgoGal

Will you be alone?

Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of orienteering should have no problem at all with finding their way round The Lakes. The points of reference are usually always visible and you are usually only 5 miles from a village.

It may be worth using the large number of youth hostels which are really a misnomer as many of their occupants are anything but youthful and they are a great place to meet similar minded people.

Many walkers do tours from hostel to hostel and it would be easy to link up with others.

PatrickLondon

This probably overtaken by DickieG's advice, but since you asked about my experience with Contours, let me say the maps and directions, for my Hadrian's Wall walk, were very detailed and thorough - basically a complete guidebook and detailed maps to the whole route, just for a four-day segment in the middle. That's not the best example, perhaps, since all I had to do was walk more or less alongside the Wall: but it's not in any company's interest to do much less than that - it's obviously a competitive industry.

ChgoGal

Hi, Patrick. Thanks for the detail on Contours. I'd like to use a service like theirs, if the single supplement doesn't hike the cost up too far. In any case, it's nice to see the walks/areas they do offer.

DickieG

I would agree with Patrick, the wall isn't The Great wall of China but in some ways that is it's appeal.

If you can make if the forts are well worth a visit, as is

http://www.tulliehouse.co.uk/welcome...nd-art-gallery

annhig

Definitely the Lakes.

loads of paths [and people walking them so you won't be alone as such].

also the incomparable Wainwright to keep you on the right track.

Wainwright? a local chap who wrote and drew wonderful guides to the Lakes - try your local library/amazon and look for AE Wainwright.

altyfc

Hello from the Lake District!

Well, actually... I'm just on the outskirts, in the town of Kendal which is a mile outside the Lake District National Park boundary... but close enough.

There are SO many walks to enjoy here, it's pretty much endless. It'd be worth getting some of Alfred Wainwright's books. They were written a while back, but are still - for the most part - valid today.

I wouldn't worry too much about getting lost, so long as you have a map (don't just rely on smartphones as reception can be unreliable on the fells), compass, etc. The paths are well marked and you'll usually come across plenty of other walkers unless you go somewhere really off the beaten track (more easily done in Scotland than in the Lakes).

isplumm1

Hi,

The other thing you could do is the coast-to-coast walk across the Uk - developed by Wainwright, it is a great walk - about 180 miles, across 3 national parks - Lake District, Yorkshire Dales & North York Moors ... did it a number of years ok .... great walk .... look at http://www.coast2coast.co.uk/

Mark

ChgoGal

Hi, Mark. I've absolutely dreamed of doing this. Time constraints are an issue for me this spring.

And I keep flip-flopping over whether I really want to be in a group. From your experience, did the other walkers ever annoy you? (Go too slow, yammer on and on, etc.) Or did you feel the personalities you met enhanced the experience?

Maybe I'm too grouchy and introverted to be a good group-tourist. (Maybe I just answered my own question.)

lynny2

I think you ought to base yourself in Ambleside as there are ramblers buses (during peak season) that take you to the start of lots of Lake District walks. There are of course plenty of excellent walks to be done from Ambleside, including the Fairfield Horseshoe. There is a YHA on the edge of Windermere.

Dee_Dee

ChgoGal, I had to laugh about "Maybe I'm too grouchy and introverted to be a good group-tourist." I feel the same about myself. That is why I so much prefer to travel solo on my trips across the pond. Every so often a friend or a relative will talk me into joining me. Afterwards I'll swear again to always travel solo. I just can't deal with those who "yammer on and on" either. LOL.

annhig

Afterwards I'll swear again to always travel solo. I just can't deal with those who "yammer on and on" either.>>

Dee Dee - you would feel at home in the Lake district. Wainwright used to hate it, even if people only said hello to him.

Dee_Dee

annhig - Wainwright sounds like my kind of guy! And, the Lake District is sounding more & more like my kind of place.

lynny2

Wainwright was an amazing guy. He is said to have done most of his walking in ordinary shoes, wearing a gaberdine mac. His pictorial guides are fantastic with alternative walking routes and detailed drawings to illustrate each one, all done by the man himself. I don't think he could drive so he relied on local transport and his wives to get to setting off points.