Kirkstone to Windermere walk
Posted by Sam Harrison on May 30, 2014 at 15:38.
kentmere kirkstone lake district windermere
The weekend after the Three Peaks, my Mum and Dad were up in Lancaster and on the Saturday we decided to go for a walk in the Lakes. The initial plan had been to do the Kentmere Horseshoe, but being it a bank holiday weekend, all of the parking spaces had disappeared by the time we got there. I had a backup route planned in case of this eventuality though, which involved catching a bus from Windermere to the Kirkstone Pass and then walking back over Stony Cove Pike, Thornthwaite Crag, Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke to Windermere.
It wasn't as sunny as the forecast had made out, and there was a chill wind which was quite welcome as we worked out way up Stony Cove Pike. It was already approaching midday because of having to wait around for the bus in the morning, and so we stopped for a spot of lunch just off the summit. I always forget how much reascent there is from Stony Cove Pike to Thornthwaite Crag, and indeed how much of a scree slope it is, but we were soon on the summit and enjoying the views of the remaining three hills and Windermere.
This ridge, which forms the western side of the Kentmere Horseshoe, undulates its way down to the Garburn Pass, with some steep sharp climbs on the way. We enjoyed lunch number two on the summit of Froswick before making light work of the remaining two hills. I knew the descent from the Garburn Pass to Windermere would drag on, but fortunately there were pretty countryside lanes, forests full of bluebells and lovely lighting to keep us occupied.
I haven't been going out just hill walking very often recently - I'm normally running or walking in to the base of a climb - and so it made a nice change to have such a thoroughly enjoyable day out making the most of some of the best scenery the Lakes has to offer.
It wasn't as sunny as the forecast had made out, and there was a chill wind which was quite welcome as we worked out way up Stony Cove Pike. It was already approaching midday because of having to wait around for the bus in the morning, and so we stopped for a spot of lunch just off the summit. I always forget how much reascent there is from Stony Cove Pike to Thornthwaite Crag, and indeed how much of a scree slope it is, but we were soon on the summit and enjoying the views of the remaining three hills and Windermere.
View from the summit of Thornthwaite Crag
Thornthwaite Crag's impressive summit cairn
This ridge, which forms the western side of the Kentmere Horseshoe, undulates its way down to the Garburn Pass, with some steep sharp climbs on the way. We enjoyed lunch number two on the summit of Froswick before making light work of the remaining two hills. I knew the descent from the Garburn Pass to Windermere would drag on, but fortunately there were pretty countryside lanes, forests full of bluebells and lovely lighting to keep us occupied.
Froswick from Thornthwaite Crag
I haven't been going out just hill walking very often recently - I'm normally running or walking in to the base of a climb - and so it made a nice change to have such a thoroughly enjoyable day out making the most of some of the best scenery the Lakes has to offer.