Lucrative Lake District days

I hope to be able to get to the Lake District for a day trip or two at some point so I’d like to maximise my activator points to make the driving time and diesel worthwhile. What are some good rounds for an experienced and fit hill walker?

I’ll open with Helvellyn, Fairfield and St Sunday Crag for 26 points. Adding Seat Sandal for another 6 points might be too much though.

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Dale Head & Robinson are a good pair as are Red Screes and Stony Cove Pike. Both these options are worth 12 points. Another possibility is combining Skiddaw with Blencathra for 18 points.

73
Nick

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The Ennerdale circuit is a really great outing for a strong walker, starting from near the Youth Hostel with LD-012 High Stile, then LD-005 Great Gable, LD-014 Kirk Fell and finishing with LD-006 Pillar. 32 points but with various options to bale out if it is too much or the weather turns dirty on you.

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The term “fit hill walker” is perhaps subjective. If you fancy a challenge, last year I linked Dale Head, Robinson, High Stile, Pillar, Kirk Fell and Great Gable (leaving car @ Honister Pass) with a successful activation on each summit.

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  1. From Stonethwaite:- Scafell LD-001 - via corridor route Easy approach. Then drive the couple of miles to:-
    Honister (slate mine’s car park)
  2. Dale Head G/LDP-020 & ROBINSON G/LD-021
  3. Great Gable G/LD005; Kirk Fell G/LD-014, and if you feel really fit add Pillar G/LD 006

Or:-
Whinlatter forest: Grisedale Pike GLD-015 & Grasmore G/LD-009

Or from Scales off the A66, Blencathra via which is really only just an easy scramble. Then head west to Skiddaw House and Skiddaw G/LD-004, And a nice return via head of Glendaterra Beck, Blencathra Centre and follow the footpath/s/tracks back to Scales.

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Thats some going!!

Helvellyn, St Sunday Crag, Fairfield and Seat Sandal can be done in a day from Dunmail Raise. Or you can leave off Helvellyn.

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I’ve done St Sunday, Fairfield and Seat Sandal and it was managable but it seemed a long way back down the valley at the end of the day. How about park at the Kirkstone, Stoney Cove Pike, High St, Return for refreshments then up the other side to Red Screes?

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Thanks for all the ideas. They match most of the thoughts I’ve had - I just need to find a day when I can actually do something. And this assumes diesel doesn’t get any more expensive.

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Richard, you might have a look on the database to see how other activators have grouped the summits. Paul G4MD and I considered the VFM aspect (value for money) when we activated the Lakes summits a little over the decade ago, but did not plan it out to the n’th degree. I hope that there is some logic to our groupings as we tried not to drive too far from whichever Travelodge we were staying at. Usually we spent three days up in the Lakes at a time which was more cost effective than going back and forth. Even so, we got rather sick of the M6. :grinning:

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+1 for this. Always a winner

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I feel that I must try this route one day. I always do Helvellyn from Swirls car park opposite Thirlmere lake.

I do Fairfield / St Sunday Crag / Seat Sandal from via the Patterdale bridleway just out of Grasmere.

I also need to try Helvellyn from Glenridding and tackle the edges after hearing my sister-in-law’s account of the day she encountered a radio ham on the summit!

73, Colin

Edit - in reply to @G7KSE (for some reason my replies revert to ‘general’ than to someone, must be something that I do!

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My suggested route would be to park at this car park, sharp ascent up Helvellyn, then down via Dollywagon Pike to Grisedale Tarn, ascent to St Sunday Crag via Deepdale Hause, back to Fairfield via Cofa Pike, down to Hause Gap, up to Seat Sandal, down the front of Seat Sandal towards Dunmail Raise then pick up the forest track back to the car park.

A long day but doable.

Mark.

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A walk up [quote=“M1BUU, post:12, topic:29377, full:true”]
I also need to try Helvellyn from Glenridding and tackle the edges after hearing my sister-in-law’s account of the day she encountered a radio ham on the summit!

73, Colin
[/quote]

Splendid route, much easier than people say - unless you are extremely unsteady on your feet. You can manage it with your hands in your pockets if you wanted to.
Ascend striding edge and decend Swirral edge.

The added advantage is that the ascent from Patterdale ( I use the recreation field car park), is the ascent/descent is much more gentle too.

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I think this is the winner. It’s a long day but definitely doable and well worth it for 32 points. The parking is easy to get to, 2 hours drive from home.

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These four can also been done from Patterdale/Glenridding as many have done previously. Of course you could do these four plus Blencathra and the Mells like John G4YSS once did in 2014 during WB for a total of 65 points!

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There’s just one move on Striding Edge where you are descending to the last dip and may wish to put hand to rock to steady yourself, though I’ve seen nervous people make a meal of it. :grinning: The descent on Swirrel Edge starts with a little chimney groove that needs your hands for a couple of moves, but it is quite safe - and usually full of people in summer (no treading on the head or hands of the person in front!)

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Alerts in for tomorrow. Wish me luck!

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All the best Richard for tomorrow and thanks for the S2S QSOs today. As Brian says, Swirral Edge is low risk in summer. I will be traversing it myself leading a group in September, looking forward to that. Good luck OM.

73 Phil

PS edit: All the best Mark, have a great walk

I’ll listen out for you.

Regards, Mark.