Distance:8.54 miles Time: 4:30hr (exc. stops) Total ascent: 654m

Our first trip to the lakes in 2025, hampered only by learning I’d forgotten to pack my boots. So, my morning started with a trek down from Castlerigg Hall to Keswick to buy new boots and a stomp back up the hill wearing them.

From there we departed for Walla Crag. This was a fairly easy climb from the campsite, and it wasn’t long before we reached its rocky summit.

As the weather forecast was predominately windy, we’d planned on deciding whether to continue when we got there. The wind was fairly light, so we continued!

The walk up to Bleaberry Fell was a fairly steady ascent, but the final stage looms at you from a distance, a series of stone steps leading to a large cairn. That was the toughest climb of the walk, and the wind was much stronger at the top. More layers were donned and we decided to press on to High Seat.

The winds dropped, but we faced a new challenge in the ground getting increasingly boggy. It was slow going at times finding routes through it all.

However, the views from High Seat were worth it – 360 degree panorama of fells and lakes.

From there, it was steady descent towards Ashness, getting increasingly steep and rocky. Once at the bottom, we opted to walk back to the campsite via Great Wood, which was a pleasant way to end as the sun started getting lower in the sky.

This brings our Wainwright totals to Sarah 21, Paul 39