December
8:00 Start with 16:30 (5:30pm) Return
Please Note
The coach will be parking in Ambleside, usually in the car park on the right hand side just past Hays Garden Centre as you head into Ambleside, or failing that, at Waterhead, which is at the head of the lake and a bit further out. The coach will leave Ambleside at 4:30pm. Arrival time should be circa 10:30 with a clear run.
A Walk - Winter Warmer with John Parkinson
9.8 miles (15.8km) with 3350ft (1028m) Total Ascent
Leaving Ambleside opposite the Golden Rule we walk past the University of Cumbria´s local campus, the only university campus in the U.K. located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Reaching Nook End Farm we start the ascent to Low Pike and then onto High Pike on the right hand side of the Fairfield Horseshoe.
Continuing on the ridge and before Dove Cragg we head off the horseshoe over Bakestones Moss and Black Brow down to the Scandale Pass. From there we take the short, steep ascent to the cairn at Red Screes before starting our descent through Raven Cragg and Snarker Pike back to Ambleside.
B+ Walk - Troutbeck Meander with Val Walmsley
9.6miles (15.4km) with 1166ft (355m) Total Ascent
Starting in Windermere take A591 for short way to pick up path to The Common. From here we walk on field paths to Near Orrest & Moorhowe Road than onto Dubbs Road for a 2mile stretch to Limefitt Park.
At Troutbeck we cross the A592 & join a path to Nanny Lane. We leave by the Wansfell Pike path to take one down to search for a waterfall & once found use Hundred Ends Road to Robin Lane. Following this lane all way back to Ambleside passing High Skelghyll & Skelghyll Wood, sunlit all the way!!
B Walk - Winderemere to Ambleside with Barbara & Alan Gilbert
We start from Windermere Station (toilets inside Booths) making our way up Orrest Head with spectacular views over Lake Windermere. This is where Alfred Wainwright had his epiphany after coming from a smokey mill town.
We then descend towards Causeway Farm and onto Far Orrest below Allen Crag before reaching the village of Troutbeck.
We make our way up Robin Lane to High Skelghyll Farm before entering Skellghyll Wood. If there is time we may climb up to Jenkin Crag and finally descending into Ambleside hopefully in time for some refreshments.
C Walk - Rydal Water & The Coffin Trail with Dorothy Dobson
We leave the coach in Ambleside to make our way across the park to the footbridge over the River Rothay. We follow the road by the river all the way to Pelters Bridge. From here we go to Rydal Water and take a footpath round the lake to reach the car park by A591 road. We cross this road to take a short but steep climb to join the Coffin route (Path from Grasmere to Rydal).
We follow the path in a southerly direction to reach Rydal Hall where we take the footpath through Rydal Park to Scandale Bridge to rejoin the A591 which leads us back to Ambleside.
If the conditions underfoot are unfavourable we will take the same route omitting Ryal Water, cross the main road at Pelters Bridge, climb the hill to Rydal Hall and continue as before. Apart from one steep hill the climbing is minimal.
