Lake District wilderness part 2

The first part of these articles was an introduction to the area and what you will be able to see, find and enjoy here, but in this article I wanted to include some more specific recommendations for where to go, what to do and how to do it! The Lake District is one of the most beautiful and natural areas of the UK, and also has the highest mountain in England, so is really a very impressive place to visit, and one very close to my heart.

Part one of this series was an introduction to what you can see in the Lake District.

My favourite walking trails...

This is a place for walking, pure and simple. If you are not a fan of walking, then the Lake District is absolutely not for you, and you should look at a UK city break like the one linked in this sentence. But if the idea of a few hours walking in stunning scenery doesn't make you feel ill, then read on. The walking routes here are well planned, carefully mapped and really quite easy to follow. It's not particularly common to get lost in this area, as it's very open and clear. The only issue you might have is on foggy and rainy days when visibility is lower, but as long as you bring some warm clothing with you, you should be fine.

There are hundreds of connecting and separate routes, some of which are a little more adventurous, and plenty of which that can be explored by all. The park has also made sure to create a lot of routes that do not have walls or stiles to climb over for those unable or unwilling. You can see a full list of the walking routes in the Lake District here. There are generally three options for routes here, hilly with a lot of climbing and descending, flat and medium/long as then a combination of some hills and some flats. Obviously you should choose your route depending on the ability of the group (not just you) as well as what kind of experience you want. If you are looking for great scenery and an enjoyable day, then the flatter routes might be better. If you are searching for a challenge and elevation, then the more hilly routes will suit more.

Greendale and Middle Fell

This is probably the nicest walk of the flatter walks, as it includes roughly four miles (6.5 km) of quite easy, but beautiful trails. The route is part of the western area, and is not quite so popular as it's a little further away from the central parts of the park. So if you are looking for a bit of quiet and isolation without too much effort, then this route is ideal for you.

Scafell Pike Route

This is one of the longer and more challenging of the Lake District routes, and one which takes you up the tallest mountain in England, Scafell Pike. This route is a round eight miles (13 km) long, and climbs up more than 1000m and then back down again. The route should be around seven hours for reasonably fit people. You don't need superhuman endurance to make this climb, but it's worth getting in descent shape in order to be able to really enjoy it, rather than just survive it.