Route:

  From Glenridding carpark, cut

through to Greenside Road and

follow this out of town, past the 

Traveller's Rest pub. Continue

uphill where the road forks to the

campsite to reach the cottages.

  The path is well marked here 

(so that you don't end up in fields

or gardens!) and begins to zig-

zag uphill. This leads, quite steeply but on a good path, to an obvious saddle and a wall. 

  To reach Glenridding Dodd, head North along the wall initially before the path curves to the right (East) and takes you up to the summit. Return to the wall once you have had a snack and admired the view.

  The path to Sheffield Pike heads the other way (West) and towards some rocks. A short scramble up these and then the path leads you up the wide ridge to Heron Pike first and then on to Sheffield Pike. There is a good stone shelter here for lunch.

  From the summit of Sheffield Pike, pick up the track that leads West and downhill towards the valley. If you look way up the hillside in front of you, you can pick out the Ski Tow. The path leads easily down into the mine/quarry area and a footbridge.

  Over the footbridge, turn left (South East) and take your lick of tracks that head in the general Glenridding direction. These converge on a good, wide zig-zag track down the valley side and bring you into the old mine buildings / ruins. Don't drop down to the Youth Hostel but look for the footbridge and pick your way through the old buildings and spoil heaps to avoid losing too much height.

  Over the bridge, turn left, down the valley and then take the first left again to take the lower of the two paths. This leads you all the way back to Gillside farm campsite. Follow the road back to Greenside Road and return to Glenridding.

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Verdict: 

  This was a lovely shorter walk with the Little Chaps that had all the benefits of a longer day - views, summits reached and a "big mountain feel". This is a really good option for a first "proper" fell day for smaller legs or, as for the Little Chaps, it made a great day 2 walk to follow up our larger day to The Knott, Rest Dodd and Angle Tarn. From the summit of Sheffield Pike, there is still a reasonable distance to cover but it is all downhill to Glenridding from here and the mine workings and river around the Youth Hostel make a good resting and playing stop.

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