My XYL and I are coming for a week long holidays in Lake District starting from 13 September. Our plans include hikes and activations of a few summits in North-Western part of the National Park.
So far our list off possible hills consists of
Grasmore
Grisedale Pike
Robinsons
Low Fell
Illgil Head
Lord’s Seat
List will be amended according to the weather and our stamina ;).
Could you please tell me how is the mobile service on the summits to spot myself. I will have UK SIM card from EE and if needs be a DMR handheld.
Our base is in Cockermouth so any recommendations for a good Pub lunch or dinner in the area are also welcomed.
Grisedale Pike and Lord’s Seat can be done from the same car park (Whinlatter Visitor Centre) but they are on opposite sides of the road. There is a cafe at the car park where you can get coffee / sandwiches / cakes etc. The car park is 320m ASL which reduces the climbing needed Both are good walks with Grisdale Pike being a bit steeper. Send me your email in a PM and I will send you the GPX routes I used. The car park is considered expensive, it will cost £8 for a full day.
Car parking is a problem in The Lake District, there are few places and many visitors and this means most of the car parks will require payment and are some of the most expensive rural car parks in the UK. Many can take payment from credit card or use various parking apps on your phone to pay. Or you can get some £1 coins when you arrive here. I’m sure others who walk in The Lake District will advise. Or you can look online.
Phone coverage depends. But EE is a good choice as the network has good coverage but this does also depend on your phone. In rural parts to fill in existing coverage, EE uses Band 20 (800MHz) for better coverage than higher frequencies. But only if your phone supports VoLTE. If your phone does both, then you should find you get good 4G coverage. Otherwise there will be blackspots, otherise it’s OK from the summits but not the valleys. Note that it took my phone about 10mins on the summit of Grisedale Pike to get connected to EE UK. The Isle of Man is line of sight to Grisedale Pike and the IOM networks were strong so my phone wanted to use those networks. Just check your phone doesn’t roam onto a non UK EE connection!
Other possibilities…
Skiddaw - from the North (I did from peter house Farm nr Bassenthwaite then Whitewater dash and Bakestall - a nice path that doesn’t feel like a motorway…)
Free Roadside parking but arrive early
Binsey for a nice short walk with a good view… Roadside Parking
Grasmore can be done as an extension to the walk from Grizedale Pike without a massive climb.
High Stile from Buttermere - bit of a slog and you have to pay for Car Parking but the view makes up for it!
On most of the hills you mentioned you will probably get 4 contacts on 2m FM - there is a reasonable amount of activity!
Thanks for info on mobile coverage and parking arrangements. For Grizedale I was planning to use car park you mentioned - saving few meters in ascent is always good option I plan similar approach to Robinsons.
My email is call sign at Gmail, your route will be helpful and appreciated.
Thanks for the info and suggestion of Skiddaw - its tempting, but we will see as both XYL and me are rather slow hikers and 700mtr ascent is at the high edge of our abilities. I take it that 2m is an option on Skiddaw which would allow me to reduce rucksack weight. We’ll see how it goes.
As for Grasmore and Grizadale Pike, it might be one or another not sure if we would have strength to return to the car if we done both in the same day.
Thanks for the photos, I hope we have a weather at least as good as on the pictures. We were lucky with weather back in 2019 when I activated The Old Man of Coniston and Dale Head.
Not related to connectivity during an activation, however, another point on mobile phone coverage in the Lake District is that there are areas where there is no mobile coverage at all from any of the networks - even not far outside of some rural centres (e.g. Penrith). Normally rental accommodation and hotels will have free WiFi - so check if your phone supports “WiFi Calling” and that it is a feature of the SIM card package you are going to use. This feature allows you to call out and be called in an area with no mobile network coverage.
You might consider combining Robinson with Dale Head - starting from the top of Honnister pass.
Illgill Head is a long way from any other the other hills you mention,requiring a trip across to Wasdale. There are other, arguably more interesting hills, with ascents from Wasdale so I’m curious if you have a particular interest in Illgill head.
Yes I realize that its a trip on its own, but one who needs to be obeyed would like to see this lake and valley as it supposed to be very picturesque, so here you have it
I have activated Dale Head in 2019 so I would like to visit other not too difficult summits. I soon will be 63 years young, so I need to carefully consider my options.
Thank you every one for advice and hints. I hope we will have a chance to talk on the bands.
Your plans sound lovely. Wasdale should be nice and quiet on a midweek day in September, I could recommend the lunch and lemonade at Wasdale Head Inn if you have time.
Illgill head is a good choice from Wasdale, with excellent views of the surrounding hills.
I have no local knowledge of the Lake District. If you worry about cell phone coverage you might want to look into SOTAmat, which allows internet free spotting. It works great and is a big help in those remote areas. I wish I had looked into it sooner.
my home qth is in Cockermouth you are welcome to call round for a coffee and chat .I can give info on the best routes and free car parking in the area.
Another local here Marek…phone signal on EE is probably the most reliable although almost none work particularly well in the valleys (like Andy says).
Quite a few car parks are now credit card only but with a bit of help you can avoid them altogether :-). Most walkers don’t get up too early so that’s the biggest tip…go early!
I’d put Skiddaw and Blencathra on the list if you’re in Cockermouth. Same with Knott and Binsey. Illgill head might not look too far on a map but it’ll take well over an hour to get there. Maybe more depending on how many camper vans are parked on the verges.
Lots to choose from. I’d suggest bringing some wet weather clothing. Its not stopped blowing a gale and raining since February!
Thanks for a local tips and info guys. It’s always helpful. My XYL is Yorkshire (Donny) born and bread and we visit family on regular basis, so I am used to “sunny” English weather Saying that I hope to bring some sun from home to share around.
Reg thanks for suggestion of the meet, once I am in UK and have mobile number I will drop you a line. In the mean time and suggestions for a good Pub or Restaurants let’s say 10mile radius or so.
Alex, I know that travelling around Lakes requires patience, so I already ordered some on Amazon should arrive just before our hols. I will be driving left hand drive car so I won’t be fast myself
I got a Pooley Bridge Inn, its right up our street and already on the todo list.
The North Lake Hotel its very nice and I bet poshness comes with pricy I would not feel comfortable to walk in straight from the hike in muddy boots.
Thanks again, keep them coming if you got some more. Last time we had a late lunch at Honiston Pass Inn and we enjoyed it a lot especially when they had a fire place going.
We are staying at the hotel the days you are up in the lakes and I plan an activation while I am in the area.
You are correct it is pricey but the food is ace
If you’re around Keswick then the Lingholm kitchen is handy. Or the Chalet in Portinscale. I end up at either of these if I’ve been out on the lake at the weekends.
Both are good walks with Grisdale Pike being a bit steeper. Send me your email in a PM and I will send you the GPX routes I used. The car park is considered expensive, it will cost £8 for a full day.
I plan similar approach to Robinsons.
