Map: OS Explorer OL4

         The English Lakes North-western area

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Parking: We started from Chapel House Farm campsite where we stayed.

If you are coming into the valley for the day there is parking at the Scafell Hotel in Rosthwaite (£5 for a day)

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Route: From the campsite, turn right on the road and head down the valley towards Rosthwaite. There is a small "pavement"as the road can be busy, particularly as walkers drive in to the popular start points for the higher peaks. You will pass the Scafell Hotel so the route description collects day-visitors using the car park here. Continue through Rosthwaite (care needed on the narrow bit of road between the buildings). At the bus stops at the end of all the buildings, take the large track to the right signposted Bridleway and also the Hazel Bank Hotel driveway. Cross the bridge over the river and turn left on the Bridleway (you DO NOT want to go to Stonethwaite!). The track passes a camping barn, the hotel grounds and continues all the way up and over the pass into Watendlath. It is a good path, no navigation required just follow it! This is on a classic mountain bike route so just look out for bikes coming down. Watendlath is lovely, especially if you get there early as we did, and we had a nice, quiet refuel (snack) at the tarn.

There are some sort-of-stepping-stones but the bridge is just around the corner as you follow the river that exits the tarn. Cross the bridge, go around the back of the tea shop and just before entering the carpark, take a path by the stream on the left next to a wall. Follow the track through a gate where it widens and climbs in zig zags up the hill to the another gate. Through the gate you need to turn immediately left to head up over the rougher ground. It is a smaller  grassy path but still quite easy to follow all the way to the first summit of the day, High Tove. You feel right in the middle of the Lakes at this point with great views of all the major peaks (on a good day!). There are still some uphills to come but at this point you have gained the ridge and done most of the hard work. We were here at about lunchtime and it is a good spot to sit and enjoy lunch whilst taking in your surroundings.

You need to head North from here, along the ridge. The path is grassy for a short section following the wall and then picks up some stone slabs over the main wet areas so your feet should stay dry even after a period of rain. Through an area where they are restoring the peat lands and then you start to climb up to High Seat. You cross the wall to the left just short of the summit. At the summit, we headed slightly East back towards the wall but did not cross it, picking up a path that wound across the next section towards Bleaberry Fell. There are several path options across this section so pick which ever seems driest and most direct when you visit!

At the summit of Bleaberry Fell you might be lucky enough to get the stone shelter to yourselves for cake (there has to be cake on a walk!) and then continue North on the really obvious path. You will start to meet more people now just going up and down Bleaberry Fell by this path. Follow the path all the way down, over a small stream crossing to a junction. We turned right here, slightly uphill before turning left just before the point marked Lady's Rake on the map. This is a fun downhill section with tall bracken at the right time of year so hide-and-seek or just messing about in the over head-high bracken (even on me!) is essential. I have known someone to mess about in bracken and lose their phone from their pocket so just be aware of that.

Follow this path down, following the wall until you reach a steeper, rockier section. This is only short before you enter the woods and follow the sign posts all the way down to the main valley road. The path comes out right at the bus stop which is handy. If you have time and it is a nice day, cross the road for a quick paddle in the lake to soothe hot feet before coming back for the bus back up the valley to the start point.

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Verdict: A really good walk to feel like you are in the mountains without having to climb too high. Good paths make this relatively easy in terms of navigation which means you can get up on the tops without too much worry. They also helps you to cover the distance easily without much bog-trotting and wet feet. We did this when we had intended a rest day so the Little Chaps were a bit tired setting out but that didn't really impact on our day in terms of the time taken. The promise of the excitement of a bus ride to get home is a useful incentive! All in all, a grand day out...

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